


Chasing The Starlight

by DemigodWolf



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, child prostitution, mermaids play an important part in this but not for the reason you think, other kpop groups cameos, there will be some battles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2019-10-03 17:29:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17288339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemigodWolf/pseuds/DemigodWolf
Summary: People called them pirates, but they considered themselves people the mainland had betrayed, the sea being their only refuge, open and unforgivable, a new adventure every day.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there and Happy New Year everyone!! 
> 
> This idea came to me after watching Pirate King and Treasure and I couldn't find any Pirate fics so I had to write my own! 
> 
> This is my first work in the fandom and while I've learned their names and the basic things about each member, I'm still new, so I'll be learning more while writing. Please forgive me if I make mistakes and give constructive criticism as you go. 
> 
> Now on to some warnings.  
> This story deals with some heavy themes. Child Prostitution, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, to name a few. I will be adding additional warnings in the notes with each chapter and PLEASE tell me if you want me to tag something that I haven't. 
> 
> That's it for now!  
> Enjoy~

It all started with two boys, no older than five years old. One had tiny hands for his age and wore rags for clothes and the other wore well-tailored clothes and had average sized hands for his age. All it took was a tug on a sleeve and a plea for some food and then a bright red apple sealed the deal.

Then they were both ten years old and they were the same as they were five years ago in everything but height. One still had tiny hands for his age and wore rags for clothes and the other still wore well-tailored clothes and had average sized hands for his age. The bright red apple was a standard for every day.

Then they were both fifteen years old, their clothes and hands still the same, but they were both taller and one of them had a scar on his left cheek. Was it from a knife, the other didn’t know and he never asked. The apple had become two apples and some bread and cheese had joined as well.

And then they were both twenty years old and the boy’s small hands were hardened by ropes and his skin was kissed by the sun and he smelled like salt water. His clothes were no longer rags but they weren’t tailored for him either.

He continued to visit the other boy, but not every day like he used to. The sea was his home now. It had been almost two weeks since he’d seen the other boy and he grinned at the thought of seeing his friend again.

But the grin slowly slipped from his face when he saw his best friend’s face. The taller boy with the well-tailored clothes and average sized hands had a bruise on his right cheek, looking an angry shade of purple that faded into green before reaching his skin color.

“Who did this to you?” he asked, raising his hand a little as if to touch the bruised skin, but his fingers never hit their target as the taller boy turned his head away.

But the young man knew that asking was fruitless, he already knew the answer.

His gaze grew fierce, his eyes on the bruise, but the taller man knew that he was not the cause of that anger.

“Come with me.”

The taller boy looked at him shocked. “Father will kill me.”

“I won’t let him find you,” he promised.

“I’m scared.”

The young man looked at his hands, calloused and scarred. “I’ll find a ship and a crew. We’ll travel the seven seas and you’ll never have to worry about your father again.”  It sounded too good to be true, almost like a fantasy.

“Run away with me.” 

And maybe that’s all it took to seal the deal.

Now, they were both twenty-five years old and one still had small hands for his age and still occasionally wore rags for clothes.

The other one though, he was different. His average sized hands were no longer soft and well cared of. Instead, they were now hard and dry from the sun and salt water, fingers scarred and calloused. But the biggest difference was his smile. What used to be a small and timid smile had grown wicked the more waves and rope burns it saw and felt.

So, there they were. Twenty years of friendships and five years of running away together later, and they had a ship and a crew of six people they considered their closest friends.

Now, they were the captain and the first mate of a ship of eight, and people called them pirates, but they considered themselves people the mainland had betrayed, the sea being their only refuge, open and unforgivable, a new adventure every day.

They were Hongjoong and Seonghwa. They were captain and first mate and maybe they grew up completely different, but to the sea they were nothing but two bodies, pulling ropes and trying their hardest to keep their crew and themselves alive.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The moon was full and bright in the night sky and Hongjoong could easily get lost in the silence of it all if it wasn’t for someone cursing after accidentally kicking a bucket behind him. He chuckled and looked over his shoulder. Their newest crew member, a twenty-year-old boy named Jongho who had only just joined their ship three months ago.

Seonghwa was the first to meet the younger boy on one of their stops at a not so well known port, selling not really the best of product, but they didn’t have money to spend on top tier things they could survive without.

Jongho had been standing behind a table, colorful flowers covering every inch of its wooden surface. There were flowers Seonghwa had seen before, lilies and roses in every color you could think of, but there were also flowers he had only seen in expensive books, deep in the library of his father’s house.

But one flower had peaked his interest. He had never seen it before, in real life or in books. It was mesmerizing. Its petals were a blue Seonghwa only knew the sea could be, it almost looked like it was sparkling in the sun.

Jongho had seen him staring at the flower and he was grinning at him, palm on his chin and his arm leaning on the table.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”  he had asked, giving a sparkling smile of his own.

Seonghwa had hummed, touching the last pieces of gold he had in his pocket.

“How much?” he had asked, already knowing that he couldn’t afford it, but wanting to humor himself anyway.

“Four gold pieces,” Jongho had proudly said. “People say that such a flower can only be born from a fay’s tear and you know how rare those are.”

Seonghwa knew. Because fays weren’t real.

He only had two gold pieces left and he also had to buy the bread Hongjoong liked or else he wouldn’t hear the end of it.

But he really liked the flower.

A nice young lady had appeared, looking in awe at all the roses, Jongho moving towards her and Seonghwa had taken his chance and snatched the flower in a quick move, putting it inside the bag he was already carrying.

He had moved away, towards a bread vendor he had seen earlier, fully knowing that he was been followed.

He had allowed Jongho to follow him in silence until he made his way to their ship, Hongjoong coming down when he saw him.

“Found anything interesting?” The captain had asked and Seonghwa had nodded to his bag.

“A flower and a boy,” he had answered and Hongjoong had looked the way Seonghwa had come in glee, immediately spotting Jongho.

“Hey!” Hongjoong had yelled, “Come here!” And Jongho had come.

“Why were you following him?” He had pointed at Seonghwa, teasing smile on his lips and right palm on his pants were Seonghwa knew he kept one of his knifes. Always prepared.

“He stole from me!” Jongho had said in defense, glaring at Seonghwa who in return only shrugged.

“You were the one stealing from people by having a single flower cost four gold pieces,” Seonghwa had answered in a level voice, lips twitching as Jongho spluttered in return.

Hongjoong had laughed in amusement. “A thief stealing from a thief is fair play, don’t you think?”

Jongho didn’t have the time to answer as Hongjoong’s hand patted his shoulder twice.

“Say, do you have family here?” Jongho had slowly shaken his head causing Hongjoong’s grin to grow.

“How about you join us?”

“Join you were?” Jongho had asked and Hongjoong had pointed behind him.

“This beauty really needs someone to polish her planks,” he had said, smirking as Jongho’s eyes widened.

“You are pirates,” he had said in realization, fear and wonder filling his eyes.

Hongjoong had shrugged. “Pirates, thieves, call us whatever you want. We just love the sea. So what do you say?”

“Why me?” Jongho had wondered.

Hongjoong had huffed like the answer was obvious. He had nudged a silent Seonghwa in mirth, causing the other man to smirk.

“Well, you managed to follow this guy without losing him, so something’s telling me that you’re gonna be useful.”

Jongho had gulped and nodded once.

Seonghwa had sighed and patted Hongjoong’s head before going up the ship. Hongjoong hadn’t batted an eye.

“What’s your name?”

“Jongho.”

“Tell me, Jongho. What is your treasure?”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hongjoong chuckled at the memory as Jongho came next to him.

They both looked at the sea in silence, the moon being the only light. The sky was clear and myriads of stars were competing for the brightest dot in the sky. Hongjoong didn’t think he could choose a winner.

He turned to his companion.

“Next time we hit port, I’m having Seonghwa teach you how to silently trail someone.”

Jongho huffed but nodded.

“Where did Seonghwa hyung learn?”

Hongjoong grew solemn.

“He had practice at his old house,” he answered. Jongho was silent beside him. 

Hongjoong forced a smile. “But it was mostly me, so don’t let him make you believe that he’s something special.”

Jongho chuckled and nodded.

“We’re expected to hit port sometime late next day. Go get some sleep because I want the ship to be shining by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Ay ay captain!” Jongho mockingly saluted and walked back into his chambers, leaving Hongjoong once again staring silently at the dark sea.

A falling star caught his gaze, and he closed his eyes for an empty wish. That star had won the competition tonight.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

In the three years Mingi had been part of the crew, he never once forgot the things that happened that led to Hongjoong taking him with him.

With a mother that died in birth and a father that started drinking soon after, it was a miracle he survived, but he somehow managed.

He survived his father’s neglect, survived the occasional punch or slap and he always managed to steal some food when there was none in the house.

And when he turned sixteen, he managed not to cry when his father told him that he was to bed a different man every day or else he wouldn’t survive to see the sun another morning.

And Mingi managed to survive that as well. He had the scars to prove it.

Sometimes, the men he bedded were gentle, tired after a day filled with work and they were just looking for a sweet release, calling Mingi all kind of different pet names, and it they were kind enough, they’d stay long enough for him to find his release as well.

Most of the time though, the touches were rough and fire hot, leaving red behind in bruises and in blood. Some liked to slap, some liked to cut and some liked to tied him up.

Mingi had managed to survive for four years, but he didn’t think he could endure more of it.

And when one day, his father told him that two pirates were staying the night, he let a tear escape.

Later that day, when mothers were telling their kids to go inside and sleep and fathers were blowing off the candles, Mingi gave a tentative knock on the door of the room the two pirates resided.

The door opened with a creak and stopped so Mingi would have to tilt his head to the right to see inside. Whoever opened the door must have been satisfied with what he saw because he opened the door all the way and Mingi silently walked in.

One of the pirates was sitting on the bed while the one who opened the door was closely studying Mingi.

Mingi gave a deep bow and waited for further instructions. He wasn’t supposed to talk and pirates never liked small talk either.

“Who are you?” The man sitting on the bed asked and Mingi willed his voice to sound as sexy as it could.

“Whoever you want me to be.” Was his answer, their eyes meeting for a second, before Mingi’s gaze moved to the floor. He missed the look between the two men.

The man who opened the door moved to his side.

“Take off your shirt,” he said, voice level, yet kind. But they all sounded kind at the beginning.

Mingi quickly did as told, letting his shirt hit the floor.

“How much are you getting paid?” The man on the bed asked.

Mingi stayed silent. The less he talked the better. He could feel both the pirates’ eyes on his skin, he could feel their gazes trailing over the bruises and the projecting ribs and yet, he stayed silent.

“He asked you a question,” the man on his side said and Mingi gulped.

“I’m not.” It was barely a whisper, but it was there. He heard the man on the bed sigh and saw the one by his side move, and he took a breath, fearing the worst.

“Come lie on the bed,” Said the pirate, now standing in front of the bed.

Mingi did, shutting his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable. Maybe they’d be kind enough to take turns, though he doubted it.

He must have laid there for almost a minute, eyes shut and the only thing he heard was some cloth ruffling. He didn’t open his eyes; he never did during these encounters. Some didn’t like it and some didn’t have a problem, but he grew tired of never finding any humanity in the eyes of the men who were ruining him.

There were hands moving on his torso, rough fingers ghosting over the worst of his bruises and when a pained gasp escaped his mouth, they came back surer, but gentler. And the fingers were putting a lotion on his bruises, gently and fast, practiced.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw the man who had opened the door, putting lotion on his bruises, never breaking focus, coming back even gentler than before if Mingi’s mouth did as much as grimace.

The one who was sitting on the bed was now sitting on the ground, eye level with Mingi, staring at his face.

“It’s to help the bruises heal faster,” he said, nodding to the lotion. “You should apply two times a day.”

Mingi was at a loss of words. He swallowed, but his mouth was dry.

“Why?” He found himself asking. The man with the lotion was moving his hands towards his lower abdomen and he tensed.

“Relax,” he whispered and Mingi surprisingly did.

“What’s your name?” The pirate on the floor asked.

“Mingi.”

The pirate cracked a small smile. It only made his scarred face scarier, but Mingi wasn’t feeling scared.

“I’m Hongjoong and the one putting lotion is Seonghwa.” The pirate introduced them and Mingi was more confused than ever.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked.

“You need help,” Hongjoong answered with a shrug.

“You are pirates,” Mingi said, trying to convey his mistrust by putting every bit of ill feeling on the last word.

“And you need help,” Seonghwa said, pressing a little harder on a bruise and making Mingi chock on a pained gasp. The fingers went back to being gentle again.

Hongjoong was studying him.

“We have a medic on the ship that could probably help you more,” he said, more like a thought.

“Hongjoong,” Seonghwa said, pausing his fingers and looking at the other pirate.

Mingi stated at their silent conversation, feeling more lost than ever, but it wasn’t long before Seonghwa sighed and nodded, going back to putting lotion on Mingi’s bruises.

Hongjoong looked back at Mingi. “What do you like to do?”

It was such a ridiculous thing to ask, but it was the way Hongjoong asked it that had Mingi know that it was more than a question.

“Reading maps.” Was his answer and it made Hongjoong’s grin wicked and even Seonghwa huffed in amusement.

Seonghwa was finally done with the bruises and he allowed Mingi to sit up, passing him his shirt and helping him put it on.

Hongjoong still had that wicked grin on.

“Tell me, Mingi. What is your treasure?”

Mingi’s breath got caught. He could see his answer in Hongjoong’s eyes.

“The stars.”

And that’s all it took. They let him sleep on the bed that night and it was the first time in years Mingi slept without any new bruises forming.

Morning came and Mingi was woken up by a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him. He tensed up before remembering where he was and what had happened last night and he slowly opened his eyes.

Seonghwa was looking at him. “We got you breakfast.” Was all he said before he started eating his own.

Mingi looked at the plate a few feet away from him. There was some fresh baked bread, cheese that looked ready to melt to the touch and some meat; its aroma filling his nostrils with every breath he took. There was even some fresh fruit. Mingi felt his mouth watering.

“Thank you,” he said, putting every bit of gratitude on the phrase.

Seonghwa nodded at him, but he had a small smile on his face while he continued eating.

Breakfast was done sooner than Mingi liked, but Hongjoong had just entered the door, and Mingi would rather not be eating for whatever the pirate had to say to him.

“We’re getting you out of here, today.” Was the first thing Hongjoong told him, making him almost chock on his saliva and making Seonghwa sigh before he stood up and started cleaning their plates away.

Mingi wanted to stop him, tell him that it was his job, but Seonghwa was done and gone as soon as he started.

Mingi looked at the Hongjoong. “How?” he asked.

“We’ll tell the person running this place that we want you for ourselves.” Was the pirate’s answer.

The only thing Mingi could do was numbly nod.

“He’s my father,” he said a few seconds later and that only made Hongjoong’s expression grow fierce.

“We leave as soon as Seonghwa comes back.”

And Seonghwa came back a few minutes later, carrying a bag with some food the cooks had given them for their journey.

Hongjoong relayed the new piece of information on Seonghwa and Mingi was shocked at how angry the taller man got.

The next hour was something Mingi didn’t remember much. They led him to his room and told him to take everything that was important to him. He took some clothes and all his maps.

They found his father soon after, Hongjoong taking over and Seonghwa staying back, a warm brick wall by Mingi’s side.

 His father was quick and happy to get rid of him and he even gave them some pointers on things Mingi was good at. Seonghwa was growing tenser by the second.

“Oh,” his father continued, oblivious to the twin death glares the two pirates were sending him. “one client had him tied up for a long time in some unnatural pose –I didn’t ask for details, and he has had a back problem ever since. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You can kill him if he’s no longer satisfying you.”

It was all a blur after that.

They quickly went to their ship and it took Mingi’s breath away.

Hongjoong smugly informed him that her name was Starlight and Mingi immediately felt at home.

He was introduced to the rest of the crew, three other men, but he didn’t have the time to catch their names because Seonghwa had softly pushed him towards their medic.

It took some time for Mingi to get used to his new life and even three years later he still flinched if one of the others touched him without warning, but he was getting better.

His favorite thing to do was to look at the stars at night, wishing for things he already had. He never knew when someone would take those things away so if he wished for them again and again, they’ll never get out of reach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!!  
> This chapter is shorter than the first, but that's because I decided to split it in half. So the next chapter will probably be similar in length!  
> I hope you like it! 
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Warnings; Minor Character Death. Don't worry though, you'll have your eyes closed when it happens.

_“Do you want to hear a story?”_

_“Not really.”_

_“Well too bad ‘cause I’m telling it anyways.”_

_The young boy sighed but nodded with a small smile. He wasn’t older than fifteen, but he had a youthful face that made his older brother dot on his a little too much._

_“Come sit on the bed.” The older brother wasn’t younger than twenty-five and his face was hardened by lack of sleep and overworking. He still smiled at his younger brother like he was the most precious thing in the world. And to him, he was._

_The younger boy sat on the bed, wincing at the sound the old mattress made, and moved so his back touched the wall, identical to his older brother._

_The man smiled and looked around their vacant room. His gaze stayed at their locked door for a long moment before he took a deep breath._

_“There once was a boy,” the man started with a whisper but was soon cut off by his brother._

_“You’ve told me this story a hundred times!” he whined._

_The older man chuckled and looked at their door again. He strained his ears, trying to hear if there was any noise outside their little room. He heard nothing._

_“Just humor me this once, please.”_

_The younger of the two pouted, but nodded. He could never refuse his older brother anything._

_The man started the story again. “There once was a boy, no older than fifteen. He had a big and strong hyung that got him out of trouble whenever he needed -and you didn’t hear it from me, but that happened a lot of times.”_

_The younger boy huffed, but he had a smile on his face._

_“The older of the two worked a lot to keep them both alive and it was exhausting, but he didn’t mind all that much because his little brother had a place to sleep and food to put in his belly.”_

_The man heard a door open. He took a deep breath._

_He continued with the story. “His little brother was one of a kind. He was the one to cook all their meals and he couldn’t understand how much of a help that was.”_

_The younger boy smiled._

_The older man grew solemn. “The older brother got some bad news one day. They told him not to come back on one of his jobs, they couldn’t pay him anymore.” He looked at his younger brother for a second and smiled. There were voices growing louder outside their door. “The man panicked. He didn’t know what to do. His younger brother was all he could think about and so he stole from some guards. He wasn’t a fool, he knew the guards were trailing him and he rushed home and hid the money.”_

_“Where?” Asked the younger one, hanging from his every word._

_The older brother smiled so much it hurt his cheeks. “He hid the money inside their single pillow. The one they never use and have hidden away for when they need to hug something else apart from each other.”_

_The voices outside grew silent._

_“The older brother had a question for his brother. Do you love me?”_

_“Of course I do,” the youngest huffed, not looking at his older brother._

_The man smiled._

_Suddenly, their door burst open, three guards rushing in, all holding a gun to the older one’s head._

_“Hyung!?”_

_The older brother turned his head to the youngest one, a final, small smile on his face._

_“Close your eyes, Wooyoung,” he said and took hold of his brother’s hand._

_Wooyoung closed his eyes. There was silence and he felt his brother tighten his grip on his hand._

_Then a single gunshot was heard. The hand holding his own grew limp._

_Wooyoung opened his eyes._

_His brother was dead, the guards were gone and there was gold inside their single pillow, the one they used only when they needed to hug something else apart from themselves._

_He screamed._

Wooyoung woke up with a gasp, a chocked sob finding its way out of his lips. A hand was on his shoulder and he slapped it away, pushing himself against the wall and hugging his knees to his chest.

He could hear his ragged breathing and the stable breathing of the other person in the room.

“You’re okay?”

Wooyoung gave a small nod. He knew the other pirate couldn’t see it in the darkness of the room, but he didn’t care.

Wooyoung’s eyes went to the other pirate as the other stood and light up a candle. Their small shared room was suddenly illuminated by the candle’s warm light and Wooyoung slightly relaxed.

“You’re not going to ask?”

The other shrugged. “You were screaming ‘hyung’. I figured it’s not any of my business.”

Wooyoung smiled. It looked more like a grimace, really.

“You’re a good guy, Yunho hyung.”

Yunho smiled. It looked like a real smile. “I try.”

 The room got silent once again.

Wooyoung looked outside their small, circular window. If he tilted his head just so to the left, he could see the moon. He took hold of his pillow and hugged it close.

He looked at Yunho again. “You can ask, you know,” he said.

And Yunho did. “Why did you become a pirate?”

It was not the question Wooyoung was expecting, but it was the one he could answer easier and honestly.

“Hongjoong hyung found me two years ago, but you already knew that,” Wooyoung started.

“Yes, I was there,” Yunho commented with a dry tone making Wooyoung chuckle.

“My brother left me money before he was murdered.” Wooyoung said, eyeing Yunho, but the older pirate just nodded for him to go on.

Wooyoung put his pillow to his side and stretched his legs in front of him. “The money lasted me a couple of months. I wasn’t starving at least. But then I ran out of money and I was almost sixteen and had to find a way to earn my own.”

He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal, but both knew that it was just an act. “I started helping around the port, carrying product and getting enough money for one meal a day.” He stopped talking for a few seconds, staring at his pillow. It looked exactly like the one he had at his old house.

“And then what happened?” Yunho asked.

Wooyoung huffed. “You know what happened. You were there.”

“Humor me.”

Wooyoung winced at the words. It didn’t go unnoticed by Yunho, though the older didn’t say anything.

Wooyoung let out a small sigh. “I was at a pirate ship. I was the youngest there so I was terribly mistreated. We hit port one day. Hongjoong hyung noticed my bruises at an exchange and followed me.” He looked at Yunho. “You. Were. There.”

Yunho nodded. “Seonghwa hyung had told me that there might be need for first aid so they brought me along.”

Wooyoung hummed in agreement. “You didn’t see it all, you came towards the end. Things got ugly really fast.” He took hold of his pillow once again. “The pirate didn’t want to hand me over so Hongjoong hyung proposed they fight. Whoever won got to keep me.” He ran a hand down his face and shakily exhaled. “I just wanted to live, you know?”

Yunho did know.

“The battle was rough. Two pirate captains fighting for a nobody. There was a lot of blood.” Wooyoung looked small as he was telling the story. He didn’t like telling stories, he wasn’t good at it.

“Hongjoong hyung eventually won. He was smiling as we walked towards Starlight, like he had found a treasure.” Wooyoung lifted his head and looked Yunho in the eyes.

“Do you remember what he asked me?”

Yuhno did.

“He asked me what my treasure is. I told him I didn’t have one. And he smiled at me like my answer was a challenge to him.” Wooyoung shook his head, a humorless laugh falling from his lips.

“He asked me if I’d join him. You were there. You know the answer.”

“I was there, yeah.” Yunho agreed. He stood up and blew off the candle, their small room becoming dark once again.

“Thank you for telling me.” he said.

Wooyoung’s breathing was his only answer.

Yunho lay down on his bed. “Go to sleep.”

Neither slept much that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will be up in a few days.  
> Also, please tell me, what are the most well known ships in ATEEZ? 
> 
> Kudos and Comments are extremely appreciated.  
> Cookies to all of you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo!!!!  
> Here's the second part of the previous chapter, I hope you all enjoy it! 
> 
> I've also added some tags, so check them out ;) 
> 
> I should also add that I've changed the member's ages for story purposes. Hongjoong and Seonghwa are both 25, Yunho and Yeosang are 24, San and Mingi are 23, Wooyoung is 22 and Jongho is 20. 
> 
> Quick note, while I've did what proofreading I could do, it's 1AM here, so I'd check for more mistakes tomorrow!
> 
> There aren't any warning for this chapter, just your usual Piratey Violence.

The night found Yunho on the main deck. It was cloudy, the moon playing hide and seek behind the dark clouds and Yunho had long lost the game.

Mingi was on the wheel, making small talk with Hongjoong, though Yunho couldn’t hear what about. He didn’t really care.

He watched the dark water, his eyes playing tricks on him and making him see shadows when there wasn’t any light to create them. Still, he let his imagination run wild. He imagined the shadows being mermaid tails or maybe a creature’s limb. If he though hard enough, he could see the shapes under the water, things that existed only in his head.

Yunho looked at the sky. The moon was still playing that one sided game of hide and seek and it seemed that the stars had decided to play as well. Really, how could Yunho even think of winning?

“Why are you still out? Hongjoong hyung said it’ll rain.” Yunho jumped at the voice, turning around and coming face to face with Wooyoung.

“You scared me!” Yunho said and turned his back on Wooyoung as a sign of revenge. What kind of revenge was that, Yunho didn’t know.

 Wooyoung scoffed and walked next to him.

“What kind of pirate gets scared that easily?”

Yunho pouted. “The ship’s supposed to be a safe place,” he said, making Wooyoung exhale a humorless laugh.

“There are no safe places for a pirate,” Wooyoung said.

Yunho bit his bottom lip and looked at the sea. The water seemed really welcoming. Maybe he’d find a mermaid if he swam now. Would Hongjoong allow him?

“Yah!” He felt a jab on his side and he glared at Wooyoung only to find the younger already glaring at him. “I was talking to you! Don’t ignore me!”

“What do you think about mermaids?” Yunho asked.

Wooyoung stared at him. And then he cleared his throat. “They don’t exist.”

Yunho rolled his eyes. “Obviously.” He pointed to the dark sea. “But what if they were always in the deep water, waiting for the next pirate to devour?”

Wooyoung stared some more.

“If mermaids existed, you think they’d eat pirates?” he asked.

Yunho shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe? I think that we’d want to capture them so they’d have to kill us.”

Wooyoung hummed. “I guess,” he said.

A drop of rain hit Yunho on his head and he looked up, a couple more falling on his nose and cheek. He sighed happily.

“We should go inside,” Wooyoung said.

Yunho shook his head. “I’ll go inside when Seonghwa hyung yells at me to do so.”

Wooyoung sighed and nodded. It wasn’t raining yet, just a few droplets here and there so they had quite some time before they had to get inside.

Yunho looked at the younger. “Why are you here?” he asked.

Wooyoung exhaled, preparing himself. “I wanted to talk to you,” he said.

Yunho raised an eyebrow, barely noticeable with the limited light.

“What about?”

“I told you why I became a pirate. It’s only fair you tell me why you became one as well.”

At the wheel, Hongjoong had taken over, but Mingi was still there. It wouldn’t be long before Seonghwa came and yell at them all to get inside.

“Is that really why you’re asking me?”

Wooyoung looked at the sea. The waves were getting bigger, making their appearance known on the sides of the ship, but no one was worried. The waves weren’t here to destroy. Not tonight.

“You might be a good guy hyung, but I don’t like you,” Wooyoung said. “You know why I don’t.”

Yunho gave a single nod. How could he not know? He was there.

Wooyoung turned, now coming face to face with the other pirate.

“Make me understand,” he said. “Tell me why you did nothing. Tell me why you stayed back and watched while they did everything they could to destroy me,” Wooyoung was breathing hard when he finished. His voice had grown louder, but not loud enough to alert the other two pirates.

Yunho could feel his chest get tight.

“They would do the same thing to me if I tried to do anything,” he whispered.

Wooyoung scoffed. “So you’re a coward,” he said with a nod, as if he came to a conclusion.

Yunho closed his eyes tightly. “You don’t understand,” he said. It almost sounded like a plea.

Wooyoung growled and stepped closer. “Make me understand,” he said, voice impossibly level with how much anger he was feeling.

Yunho let out a sound that was almost a whimper. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the moon. She had finally come out of her hiding place.

“I ran away from home when I was seventeen. Dad was abusive, mom had run away long before I did.” He took a deep breath. “I tried to take my younger brother with me but he was scared and I was running out of time so I left him there.” He let out a short, humorless laugh. Wooyoung almost took a step back  of how strange and dark the sound was. “Guess I’ve always been a coward,” Yunho said. Wooyoung stayed silent.

“I searched for a job for almost two weeks but no one would take a good for nothing seventeen-year-old. And then I came across a pirate ship.” Yunho saw Wooyoung flinch. He knew that the other boy understood what he meant.

“They took me in instantly. Said they were a new crew and could use all the manpower they could find.”

“That’s what they said to me, too,” Wooyoung said, his voice small.

“It was good for the first couple months. I knew how to patch up wounds because of my father, so the medic there started to train me on more serious things, life threatening things,” he said.

“And then,” he trailed off.

“And then the captain started drinking again,” Wooyoung finished for him.

Yunho nodded. “It wasn’t serious at first. A slap or a punch were things I could take and they were easy to take care of.”

“Did he use his knife?” Wooyoung asked.

“Sometimes, yeah. He used his gun a couple of times, too.” Yunho shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. It was all in the past, the captain wasn’t even alive anymore, Hongjoong had made sure of it when he had taken Wooyoung.

“Sometimes he’d have other crew members join in the beating. Most of them were happy to.”

It was raining.

“One day, the captain got so angry. He had sent a few of the crew at a port to steal money, but they came back empty handed. He killed two of them on the spot and left the third slowly bleeding out on the main deck. Then he turned the gun at me. Like this,” he said, mimicking the gun with his fingers, touching Wooyoung’s forehead. Wooyoung barely flinched. 

The moon had gone into hiding again. It was raining a lot.

“He smirked at me and I knew he’d pull the trigger. But the medic told him to stop. He shot him instead, didn’t even hesitate.”

Yunho let his hand fall to his side and turned to the sea. “Then you came along.”

“It was good for the first couple of months,” Wooyoung said.

“And then the captain started drinking again,” Yunho finished.

The rain had already made their hair damp and was slowly working on their clothes as well. Seonghwa hadn’t come to yell at them yet.

“When he first hit you, I tried to step in, but one of the crew stopped me,” Yunho said. “he said that I was their only medic, I was useful to them alive.”

“So you let them beat me instead,” Wooyoung said.

“I always patched you up,” Yunho said, almost like an afterthought, like it was supposed to make things somehow better. Both knew it wouldn’t.

“We hit port one day and I took my chance and ran away. I came across Hongjoong hyung and Seonghwa hyung. They hadn’t been pirates for long and it was just the two of them. They were looking for a medic for their ship. I offered.”

They both looked towards the wheel. Mingi had gone inside, leaving only Hongjoong out there, the captain looking at the horizon, the rain not bothering him in the slightest.

“So I went with them. It was two years later we returned to the same port and you happened to be there as well.”

“And you took me out,” Wooyoung said.

They heard voices from the wheel and they both turned and saw Seonghwa yelling at Hongjoong.

Without realizing, the rain had gotten so strong that they couldn’t hear what the two older pirates were saying.

When Seonghwa looked at them, they both gulped.

“What the hell are you too doing!? Go inside right now! We’re hitting port tomorrow! If you get sick, I’m killing you myself!”

The last thing they saw before they rushed inside was Seonghwa hitting the back of Hongjoong’s head while the captain laughed.

As they both were changing to dry clothes, Wooyoung asked;

“When Hongjoong hyung asked what is your treasure, what did you say?”

It was minutes later, and both were under their covers, their breathing and the rain the only two things that could be heard, when Yunho answered.

“A friend,” he said.

Both were lulled to sleep by the stable sound of the rain, nightmares leaving them alone for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter won't be up that fast since I haven't even started it yet, but you won't wait a lot!!
> 
> Yeosang and San are up next and then the actual plot of this fic can finally start, lol. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you all for reading, Cookies and Hugs to all ♥


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S WEDNESDAY MY DUDES!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
> (at least it is for me) 
> 
> Longer chapter this time hihi.  
> Final introductions of Yeosang and San with a little bit of plot coming through. 
> 
> Once again, it is 1 AM as I post this, so I'll proofread tomorrow so plz don't kill me if there are any grammar mistakes or whatever thank 
> 
> Same warnings as the last chapter, but this time, it's a little bit more violent!

When San woke up, it was still dark out. But that wasn’t anything new, he usually woke up before the sun did. He splashed some water on his face and got dressed for the day, quietly as to not wake up Mingi.

San got to the main deck, stopping and tensing up when he heard movement. He looked at the wheel and found that Hongjoong wasn’t there. Probably catching up on an hour or two of sleep. So the captain wasn’t the one making the noise. He heard a grunt this time and looked at the shrouds, catching a figure climbing up towards the crow’s nest.

San groaned, realizing who it was. He jogged closer.

“Oi, hyung!” He yelled. “Captain told you not to climb for at least two weeks after your back started hurting!”

“Hasn’t it been two weeks already!?” The other pirate yelled, smirk audible in his voice, but he slowly made his way down.

San sighed. This hyung, really.

“That happened two days ago, Yeosang hyung,” he said.

Yeosang chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Was it really?” he said. “Well, if I can’t go up the crow’s nest, will you?”

San groaned again. But he did. They were going to hit port in a few hours. He slowly made his way down, careful to where he put his feet, he didn’t want to repeat the first time Jongho had tried to go up to the crow’s nest.

Then, San went and did his usual morning duties on the ship. Checking the sails, their canons and their food supply. Their food supply was running low so it was good they were hitting port before the day was over.

Soon, the other crew members started waking up, Jongho being the last one to do so. It was always Jongho.

Starlight was nearing the port and Hongjoong had gathered them on the main deck.

Seonghwa gave each one of them five gold pieces and went to stand by Hongjoong’s side.

“Wooyoung and Jongho,” Hongjoong started, making the two pirates straighten up. “You are to get food supplies. Buy enough to last a week. Make use of your money, but don’t hesitate to steal if you have to.” The two nodded and Hongjoong turned to the next pair.

“Yunho and Mingi. Medical supply. We’re a little low on bandages, but everything you’ll find is good. Same rules apply; don’t hesitate to steal if you have to.”

Hongjoong looked at the final pair, Yeosang and San. “You two are looking for information. You grew up here, Yeosang, you know how the streets work, use it to your advantage,” he looked at San. “Don’t let Yeosang do anything extreme, he still has his back problem.” Yeosang opened his mouth to speak, but a look from Seonghwa made him close it. He sighed and nodded in acceptance.

Hongjoong gestured to Seonghwa.

“Seonghwa and me are staying on the ship.” He looked at everyone. “Be back before dawn. Don’t fight unless you’re attacked. Make friends, allies. A pirate already has enemies by existing, we don’t need more.”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was a port they had come to a couple times before, but they never stayed long enough for people to recognize them when they saw them again.

Yeosang and San were walking side by side, the latter whistling along to a melody only he could hear. It was a busy day, people out on the street, selling product, kids running around laughing and mothers yelling at them not to get too far away.

The two pirates kept walking among the chaos of different voices, knowing that what they were searching for was hidden away from the common public eye.

“You know about these streets a lot, hyung?” San asked. He knew that the older pirate had grown up in this port, but that was everything he knew about the other’s background.

Yeosang shrugged. “I grew up around here, but that was years ago. Things have changed,” he said. Yeosang looked around, noting all the small and big changes. No one recognized him, but he didn’t expect them to. He didn’t recognize them, either.

They took a right into a not so busy street and then a sharp left, San following Yeosang blindly.

“So what’s your story, hyung?” San wondered. “How did you become a pirate?”

Yeosang chuckled. “It’s a really anticlimactic story, believe me.” He stopped walking and looked around. “A story that’s for another day, we’re here.” He pointed to an old building to their right. It was shady looking. San swallowed a snort. It was perfect.

They entered through the front door, a heavy wooden one that groaned when Yeosang pushed it open.

There were wooden tables with mismatched chairs and a small bar that could barely fit five people. There were seven people seated there.

Everyone turned to look at them when they entered, though they turned back to their business when they realized they were pirates.

They gently sat down on a table, San’s chair missing half a leg and Yeosang on the edge of breaking.

A wench came a few seconds later. Her smile could make a weak man fall on his knees, ready to please her in every way he could, though her very revealing dress probably played a big role as well. She places two glasses of rum in front of them, and left with a huff when they only thanked her with a nod.

San took a sip. He hummed. It wasn’t the best rum he had had, but it wasn’t the worst either. He looked at Yeosang. His glass was already empty.

San pointed at the empty glass. “You can hold your alcohol, huh?”

Yeosang shrugged. “It all tastes like piss anyways,” he said.

San took another sip. Yeosang had a point.

Yeosang took a long look around the place. Even though the place wasn’t packed, it was clear that every man inside was a pirate.

The wench that had given them their drinks was giggling away on the lap of a man, one that looked just about old enough to be her father, his fingers trailing patterns close to the lace of her dress. Yeosang looked away in disgust.

He turned to San with a small smile. “Why did you turn into a pirate?” He asked.

San looked taken aback by the question. He took another sip, barely concealing his wince. The more he drank, the worse it tasted.

Why had he become a pirate? San really didn’t know. He had always thought that pirates were cool.

They would often come by his grandfather’s shop, asking for a new sword or for him to fix their old one.

San didn’t have parents. He never knew then and he supposed that was for the best. Saved the heartbreak.

Some pirates wouldn’t even look at him, a few would scoff at the overexcited child asking if mermaids were real.

But there were two pirates, two old ones that would come by every month, every time having another extraordinary story to tell. Tales of monsters in the shape of rain, and how the ship would disappear under the waves only to emerge victorious on the other side. Tales of unnaturally powerful wind and how it would blow wooden planks and crew members into the black water, the mermaids deciding to be merciful for once, and pull the humans up to the surface of the sea, holding them up so they could breathe.

And then one month the two pirates didn’t come. And they didn’t come the next month either. And the next one.

San grew up learning how to forge swords for pirates. And when his grandfather grew too old, San took over.

And then his grandfather died and San was alone, continuing to forge swords for pirates that would come and go.

And then one morning, Hongjoong and Seonghwa had appeared, telling tales of a ship that shone like Starlight, speaking fondly about a crew of only two people and how they could really use a third.

And San was always a curious man and he wondered; ‘ _would the mermaids be merciful to him?’_ That was his answer when Hongjoong had asked him about his treasure. The captain had grinned. Wonder was a special thing to have.

San hummed in thought. “I guess I was always surrounded by pirates growing up that it seemed like the only possible outcome,” he said.

Yeosang nodded. He smiled at the younger man and San smiled back, finally finishing his drink in a big gulp, grimacing at the end.

“How about we do what we’re here for?” Yeosang said, standing up.

San grinned and followed, both men walking towards the bar where the seven pirates were sitting.

“There’s a backdoor in the kitchen,” Yeosang whispered to San before he took two gold pieces out of his pocket and placed them on the wooden bar, drawing the pirates’ attention to him. They all looked interested.

“Gentlemen,” Yeosang started. “Would you mind answering a couple questions?”

The pirate closest to San smirked, showing rotting, yellow teeth.

“Would you friend mind bending over?”

San gulped, while the seven pirates barked a laugh.

Yeosang hummed, as if he was seriously considering the offer, before he let out a smirk of his own, no teeth showing, but it could cut someone. San shivered. That smirk screamed danger.

Yeosang took out two more gold pieces, putting them on the bar with a little more force that necessary.

“How about you leave my friend out of this and answer my questions before I bend _you_ over,” Yeosang said, smirk still in place and voice sickly sweet.

The pirate snorted and shrugged, taking the four gold pieces and quickly pocketing them. “What do you want to know?” The pirate’s voice was almost pleasant now that he had the money.

Yeosang went straight to business. “Next port over. How many authorities?”

“The usual. There was a small team searching for a pirate, had posters. Little taller than you. Wanted him alive. Heard they’re coming here next.”

“And when did you hear that?”

“Couple days ago.”

Yeosang hummed and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the door was broken into and authorities were rushing in.

In a few seconds, the whole place had turned into hell. There were bullets being fired from all directions, San ducking behind the bar and coming face to face with the wench’s dead eyes, blood streaming down her face from the obvious hole in her temple.

Someone grabbed at his shoulder and San reached for the dagger he kept in his boots, only to realize that that someone was Yeosang.

Yeosang’s mouth was moving, but San could barely make out what the older was saying. His ears were ringing from the gunfire and the screams were too loud.

“Backdoor!” Yeosang screamed and pulled him up.

San stumbled, trying to get his feet under him, stepping over broken chairs and bloody bodies.

The backdoor was broken, another pirate clearly having had the same idea as them.

It was at the first breath of fresh air when San realized that something was wrong.

“Hyung,” he said and Yeosang quickly turned to him.

“Shit!” Yeosang swore when he saw the bullet wound on San’s thigh.

As San’s heart slowly calmed down, the pain hit him and he sat down against the wall with a whimper.

It wasn’t a serious wound, the bullet had gone through and through, but it was heavily bleeding.

“Hey, hey!” Yeosang kneeled down. “Keep your eyes open, moron!” He yelled, pressing on the wound with his hand, his heart breaking a little at the pain filled scream San let out.

Yeosang pulled him up, San groaning at every little movement. “We have to go to the ship, right now,” Yeosang said, voice rough and tired from pulling San’s dead weight.

“Stay awake!” He yelled, jostling him, San moaning in protest.

“Why did you become a pirate?” San slurred.

Yeosang knew it was from the blood lost. It wasn’t a life threatening injury, most of the shock was from the sudden adrenaline loss, _Yeosang knew._

But if talking was what San needed to stay awake, then Yeosang would talk.

“I was a thief,” Yeosang said, breathing through his nose. San might have been short, but he was still muscular. “And a damn good one.” San huffed in amusement and Yeosang almost elbowed him before he remembered the situation they were in.

“I was good at running away, jumping from roof to roof,” he shook his head at the memory.

“And then,” he said.

“What?” San wondered.

Yeosang let out a small, breathless laugh. “I had the misfortune of stealing from Seonghwa hyung.”

San winced, though Yeosang couldn’t tell if it was from the story or from the gaping hole on his thigh.

“He trailed me for hours. I did everything I could to lose him and when I finally thought I did, he came up from behind me and knocked me out.”

They were getting near the port now. Yeosang started walking faster.

“I woke up at the ship. Seonghwa hyung was scowling, Yunho hyung was sighing and Hongjoong hyung was smiling. I had a bump on the head that hurt like hell,” Yeosang said. “They didn’t let me leave.”

“Did hyung ask you?” San asked.

“About my treasure?”

“Yeah,”

Yeosang shrugged. “I told him I’ll know when I steal it. He laughed.”

They could see Starlight in front of them and Yeosang slowed down their pace.

He was ready to tell San to sit down while he ran to get their hyungs when a female scream made them look behind them. They both saw Yunho carrying a bloodied boy, Mingi behind him, both pirates running towards Starlight.    


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun. 
> 
> Finally the plot can start!!!!! 
> 
> Are you excited? I know I am!! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Tell me what you enjoyed and I'll send you cookies ♥


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooooo!!!  
> We officially have 69 kudos!! Good job everyone! Much appreciated! 
> 
> Real talk though, this story had over 600 hits??? Like, thank you so much?? I'm speechless? Much wow. 
> 
> We learn some more about Hongjoong and Seonghwa's past, we have plot twists, use and misuse of alcohol, oh my! 
> 
> Chapter warnings include medically inaccurate procedures. Don't try any of these at home, folks. 
> 
> Enjoy~

Back at Starlight, Seonghwa was busy chewing his bottom lip as he watched the crew go their separate ways on the port.

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow in question.

Seonghwa sighed. “I still feel like I’m sending my kids to school,” he said.

“You know a lot of pirates who went to school?” Hongjoong asked with a teasing smile.

“I did,” Seonghwa said.

“You had tutors,” Hongjoong pointed out. “You never had to leave your house.”

Seonghwa eyed his suspiciously. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Hongjoong shrugged. “You need it from time to time,” he said.

“Just because you’re my captain, doesn’t mean I won’t hit you.”

Hongjoong smirked.

They went inside Hongjoong’s cabin. As the captain, his room was bigger, though no one dared to complain. No one except Seonghwa.

Seonghwa would complain and Hongjoong would let him, only to shut him up later by proposing he moved in.

Seonghwa would kick him and the day would go on as usual. Before San and Jongho did something stupid, of course.

Two days ago, they had decided to play a prank on a sleepy Yunho that resulted in Seonghwa having to patch up two blankets.

He had yelled at them, struggling to keep a straight face on, because damn them, the prank was actually funny. And he couldn’t really blame them. Being in a ship all day was bound to get boring, especially when it was every day.

But that prank had Seonghwa sitting on Hongjoong’s bed, one blanket on his lap, preparing thread and needle, ready to spend the next few hours sitting at the same place.

Hongjoong went to his desk, pushing the maps covering the surface to the side. Mingi always gave him hell for not having a designated place for them.

He sat down and opened his journal. He let out a breath.

“We’re going home next port,” The Captain said, grimacing at the curse Seonghwa let out. He must have prickled his finger.

“It’s not home,” Seonghwa said, voice empty.

Hongjoong hummed in agreement. Seonghwa had a point.

They stayed in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Seonghwa sewing and Hongjoong writing on his journal.

“Do you ever miss it?” Hongjoong asked, almost like an afterthought.

“What? Living in an abusive household?” Seonghwa bitterly asked.

Hongjoong glared at him.

Seonghwa sighed, pushing the blanket off his lap and putting it on the bed. “Sorry.” He ran a hand down his face.  “I guess I miss a warm bath now and then,” he said, pushing himself back on the bed, resting his back against the inside of the ship.

“Fresh fruit,” Hongjoong said, standing up.

Seonghwa groaned with a grin. As pirates, they never really bought fruit, it always went bad really fast. Seonghwa missed grapes. A lot.

“Having someone clean after me was good too,” he said, making Hongjoong laugh.

The Captain made his way to his bed and sat next to him.

“Do you regret it?” Hongjoong asked.

“No,” Seonghwa immediately answered, voice sure and absolute. It made Hongjoong smile from ear to ear.

“Me neither.”

Seonghwa picked up the blanket again, Hongjoong deciding to help as he picked up the second one, both knowing that Seonghwa would have to eventually take over because the Captain wasn’t good at patching things up.

“Hyung!”

They both quickly stood up at the panic filled voice as Yunho entered Hongjoong’s room, carrying an unconscious, bleeding boy in his arms.

“Shit!” Seonghwa cursed and pulled the half done blankets off the bed so Yunho could lay the boy down.

The first thing Yunho did was rip the boy’s shirt open, throwing the cloth on the floor, Hongjoong sucking in a breath at the very obvious bullet wound on the boy’s side.

“Mingi, get me my tools and a bucket of water, now!” Yunho yelled, his face hard and eyes fixed on the bleeding wound.

Mingi didn’t have to be told twice, leaving and coming back a couple minutes later with everything Yunho asked.

“Hyung.” Both Hongjoong and Seonghwa turned to the door and saw Yeosang half pulling San inside.

“What happened?” Hongjoong nearly screamed.

Yeosang waved the concern away. “Just a small run in with the authorities at the inn,” he said as he slowly lowered San to the floor. His thigh wasn’t bleeding as much as it did before. “San’s fine. He just lost a bit of blood.”

“Hurts like hell,” San said, wincing as he moved his leg, trying to get comfortable.

“You’ll live,” Yeosang told him flatly as he rummaged through the things Yunho and Mingi had brought back.

Yeosang took off San’s pants and cleaned the wound with some of the water Mingi had brought. He then looked at Seonghwa.

“Can you please bring me the bottle of rum Captain keeps hidden in his drawers? And a rag.”

“Are you seriously going to drink right now!?” San asked incredulously.

Yeosang took the two items from Seonghwa, thanking him with a nod. He opened the bottle with his teeth, took a big gulp and passed it to San.

“Take a sip,” he ordered. San sighed and did as told, grimacing at the taste.

“It really tastes like piss,” he said, giving the bottle back at Yeosang.

“I know right,” muttered the older pirate, now giving San the rag. “Bite this.”

“What? Why? Hyunmmmfffff!” San bit the rag, muffling his scream as Yeosang poured the rum over his open wound, one hand holding San’s leg down and the other holding the bottle.

“Don’t waste it all,” came Yunho’s voice from the other side of the room, still trying to get the bullet out of the unconscious boy.

“I’m done,” Yeosang said, giving the bottle to Mingi.

San took the rag out of his mouth with a heaving sob, a couple tears running down his face.

“I hate you,” he said.

Yeosang hummed in response and poured more water over the wound before wrapping it with a bandage.

“Let Yunho have a look when he’s done,” he said and stood up.

He turned to Hongjoong. “I’m going to look for Wooyoung and Jongho.”

Hongjoong had an unreadable expression on, but he gave a simple nod. A few seconds later, Yeosang was gone.

Yunho let out a triumphant sound an intact bullet falling to the floor with a clonk.

“Lucky bastard,” San said.

“Give me the alcohol please.” Mingi passed the half empty bottle of rum to Yunho, the older one pouring it over the wound, a mixture of blood and alcohol dirtying the bed and floor. He cleaned the wound with water and wrapped it with a bandage, checking the boy’s heartbeat when he was done. He sighed in relief and pushed his sweaty bangs out of his face, not caring about the blood coating his fingers.

“He’ll live,” he said at last and drank the last of the rum in three big gulps.

“What happened?” Hongjoong asked concern clear in his voice. “Do you know him?”

Yunho looked at the unconscious boy one last time before he turned to his captain.

“He’s my brother.”

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Yeosang got out of the ship, his steps fast. He turned a sharp corner, breaths coming out irregular and hard.

“Shit.” He put his trembling hand to his mouth, trying to keep bile down.

San’s screams were filling his mind, images of alcohol and blood painting the wooden floor. Truth be told, he told San to bite into that rag because he couldn’t handle hearing his screams. Did that make him weak? Maybe. He didn’t care.

He straightened up and spit on the ground, getting rid of that awful taste.

Finding Wooyoung and Jongho wouldn’t be a difficult thing, Yeosang thought. Food sellers were at the front of the port.

It was early afternoon now, the best of product should be long gone. Realistically, the two younger pirates should be on their way back, but Yeosang knew better.

The two were probably at some inn, drinking and causing fights that somehow never resulted in them getting hurt.

He passed in front of an inn, hearing yells from inside. He rolled his eyes and entered. What he saw made him groan.

Wooyoung was standing on a wobbly table, yelling profanities at another pirate sitting on the other side of the inn. Jongho was busy trying not to choke as he laughed while chugging down his drink.

He walked towards them, pulled on Wooyoung’s arm, almost making the younger fall, but he quickly found his footing and jumped down.

“Shit, hyung! You could have killed me!” Wooyoung said, always one for dramatics.

Jongho finished his drink with a happy sigh, burping and making Yeosang grimace in disgust.

“We’re leaving,” Yeosang said, picking one of the many bags they had around the table, and walked towards the exit, knowing the other two had no choice but to follow after him.

“What’s the hurry?” Wooyoung whined. “Captain said we have until dawn!”

“We have time for another bottle or two at least,” Jongho pointed out.

“San got shot.”

That sobered them really fast.

“What!?” They both almost yelled. “Is he okay!?”

Yeosang rolled his eyes at their yells, but he was secretly yelling in his head as well, because San was fine. He. Was. Fine.

“It was to the thigh. He’ll live.”

They both sighed in relief.

“Did we miss anything else?” Jongho asked.

“Yunho brought an unconscious boy. Bullet wound to the side. He’ll live, too,” Yeosang said.

“What happened with him?” Wooyoung asked.

Yeosang shrugged. “I have no clue. I left before Yunho was done with him.”

“You came to find us?” Jongho asked with a grin.

“I don’t think Hongjoong hyung can handle another injured person on the ship.”

“Aww, hyung! I didn’t know you cared!” Wooyoung said, smirking.

Yeosang rolled his eyes, letting out a small smile. He didn’t know he cared, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much was reading! 
> 
> Leave a comment of what you liked, I'll cherish it forever!
> 
> Hugs and kisses to all ♥♥♥♥


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiiiiii. 
> 
> I'm sorry for the kinda late update but I just didn't have any inspiration until like yesterday night?? 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter!
> 
> We learn the name of the mystery guy, more things about Hongjoong and Seonghwa's past, some yelling, some crying, oh my! 
> 
> No warnings for this chapter, just fluff. 
> 
> Enjoy~

Yunho’s hands were shaking as he checked San’s bullet wound. He tried to retie the bandage around San’s thigh, but his fingers weren’t working right.

San gently caught Yunho’s hands, stilling them and tying the bandage himself.

“It’s okay,” San softly told him. “It doesn’t even hurt anymore.” Both knew that it was a lie, but Yunho appreciated it nonetheless.

Mingi helped San stand up, leading him towards Hongjoong’s chair so he could sit down somewhere more comfortable.

Yunho was staring at the unconscious boy, lying on Hongjoong’s bed. He looked peaceful, breathing steadily and relaxed. He looked like he was just a sleeping boy, Yunho felt his heart breaking all over again.

The door to the cabin opened and in walked the three missing pirates, Hongjoong immediately relaxing when he saw that both Wooyoung and Jongho were unscathed.

Yeosang eyed San, but stayed by the door, the unofficial guard of the crew.

“Yunho,” Hongjoong started, waiting until the younger pirate looked at him. “Tell me what happened.”

Yunho swallowed, finding his throat dry. His voice was almost a whisper when he spoke.

“Mingi and I went to get the medical supplies like you told us to. It didn’t take long, there weren’t many people there,” he said, his voice giving out with a crack. He fell silent once again, turning to the unconscious boy.

Hongjoong sighed, knowing that he wouldn’t get anything else out of him. He turned to Mingi.

“And then?”

“We walked around,” Mingi said, leaning against Hongjoong’s wooden desk. “We wanted to see if we’d find anything else to buy.” He shrugged. “We came across a broken door, it looked like the back of an inn or something. We saw blood on the ground and followed the trail.” He pointed to the boy on the bed. “He was leaning against a wall. Passed out when he saw us.”

“That was the inn we were at,” San said, looking at Yeosang.

“You were there?” Yunho asked, eyes on Yeosang.

“He got out before we did,” Yeosang said.

“You were there,” Yunho repeated, voice accusatory.

Yeosang was starting to lose his temper. “It was an inn full of pirates! I’m sorry I didn’t try to make any friends!”

“You could have helped him!” Yunho stood up.

Yeosang took a step forward. “San got shot!” he yelled.

“My brother could have died!”

All anger immediately left Yeosang and he took a step back.  He turned to Hongjoong. “I’m going to my cabin,” he said and left.

“I’m going with him,” Wooyoung said. As he walked out the room, he took a look at the unconscious boy. He really looked like Yunho.

“What’s his name?” Asked Jongho when the room was silent once again.

Yunho didn’t answer for minutes. “Seungmin,” he said. “You are the same age as him.”

Jongho let out a small smile.

“Did he recognize you?” Seonghwa asked, eyeing the boy.

“I don’t know,” Yunho answered honestly. When he saw Seungmin leaning again the wall, his eyes had immediately zeroed on the bloody wound on his brother’s side. He hadn’t paid attention on Seungmin’s face to see if there was any flicker of recognition.

Hongjoong nodded and went to help San stand up.

“Mingi, stay with Yunho. Find me when Seungmin wakes up,” said the captain.

Seonghwa walked out the cabin first, pausing only to gently pat Yunho on the shoulder.

Jongho left with the promise to bring them food when it was time, helping Hongjoong with San, even though the captain didn’t need any help.

“I got him, hyung,” Jongho said, gently pushing Hongjoong’s hands away.

“Take him to his cabin,” Hongjoong said, but it wasn’t necessary, Jongho was already heading that way.

“Get some rest, San,” Seonghwa said after them, San replying with a wave of his hand.

Hongjoong ran a hand down his face with a sigh, the action relaxing his shoulders and making him feel more tired than he was actually feeling.

“Come,” Seonghwa said softly, taking his hand and leading him towards his own cabin.

Seonghwa’s cabin was smaller than Hongjoong’s. His desk was covered with books of various subjects, all of which Seonghwa had read numerous times. His bed was made and there was an extra blanket on the corner –he got easily cold at night.

Hongjoong sat on the bed, his feet touching the floor and his eyes staring at his hands.

Seonghwa stared at Hongjoong.

The captain looked so small like this, almost like a child being yelled at for doing something he shouldn’t do.

The first time Seonghwa had seen Hongjoong like this, they were both fifteen. It was when Hongjoong would still visit every day, but he wouldn’t stay for long. Seonghwa still had a plate of food ready and they would talk while Hongjoong ate and then he would be gone only for all of it to repeat the next day. And the next one. And the next. 

One day, Hongjoong hadn’t shown up. He always came when it was late evening, when he knew that Seonghwa would be alone in his room. But he hadn’t come.

Seonghwa had waited for hours, finally returning the cold plate of food to the kitchen, the cooks knowing not to ask.

But when he had returned to his room, Hongjoong was there, sitting on the bed, his feet touching the floor and his eyes staring at his hands.

Hongjoong had been bleeding.

Seonghwa had quickly walked to Hongjoong, kneeling down and tilting the younger’s face up to see the wound better.

It was a horizontal slash, two inches in diameter, freely bleeding down Hongjoong’s face.

Seonghwa hadn’t asked about what had happened. He had cleaned the cut, wincing with Hongjoong as the alcohol touched the open wound.

“It will scar,” Seonghwa had said when he was done.

“I know,” Hongjoong had replied with a small smile.

They had stayed in silence until Hongjoong had to leave once again.

Hongjoong wasn’t bleeding now.

Seonghwa pushed himself from the door. “You know,” he started, walking towards the bed and sitting next to Hongjoong. “You never told me how you got that scar.”

“Oh.” Hongjoong touched the scar on his face, as if he just now remembered that he even had it.

He shrugged. “Stole some things for a pirate. He didn’t give me what we had agreed. I told him off. Told me next time he would slash my eye.” He sighed. “I didn’t say anything else after that.”

Seonghwa hummed, studying Hongjoong close. His hands were shaking.

“Hey, hey.” Seonghwa took hold of Hongjoong’s hands, his thumbs brushing over his knuckles.

Hongjoong clenched his fists, trapping Seonghwa’s fingers inside his palms, but Seonghwa didn’t care.

“I lied,” Hongjoong said through gritted teeth.

Seonghwa tried to free his hands, but Hongjoong only held on stronger.

“About what?” Seonghwa asked gently.

Hongjoong didn’t answer.

Seonghwa took his hands out of Hongjoong’s fists, the captain’s fingers clenching around nothing. He moved Hongjoong’s face so they were facing each other.

“You lied about what, Hongjoong?”

Hongjoong closed his eyes, trying and failing to keep his tears back. Seonghwa wiped them away.

“I regret it,” he finally said. "When I see the others get hurt. I regret becoming a pirate.” And then Hongjoong broke down.

He hanged his head low, letting his tears run freely. Seonghwa pushed Hongjoong’s head to his shoulders, and for once, Hongjoong didn’t try to muffle his cries.

Seonghwa’s hand was on the back of Hongjoong’s head, fingers gently massaging his scalp while his other hand ran up and down his back, further comforting the younger man.

“We’re okay,” Seonghwa said, closing his eyes at the sound of Hongjoong’s sobs.

He let Hongjoong cry until he had no more tears left, deep breaths the only thing that could be heard in the room.

Seonghwa wiped the last of his tears away, kissing Hongjoong’s forehead, something he hadn’t done in years.

“We all know the risks of being a pirate,” Seonghwa told him. “Listen to me,” he firmly said when Hongjoong started to shake his head.

“Telling me to run away with you was the best thing you ever did to me.” Seonghwa smiled and brushed his thumb over the scar on Hongjoong’s face. “Every single one of us had bad lives before you found us. We’re so, so thankful to you, a bullet wound is nothing,” he promised.

“A pirate almost never lives past thirty,” Hongjoong said, his voice croaky.

“Then you’ll be stuck with me for five more years,” Seonghwa simply said. “Sounds good to me.”

Hongjoong cracked a smile. It did sound good.

They fell in silence once again, a comfortable one, breaths coming out soft and steady.

Hongjoong was almost asleep when Seonghwa spoke.

“What’s your treasure, Hongjoong?”

 _You_ , he wanted to say, but didn’t.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Seonghwa said, Hongjoong humming in response, slowly falling asleep at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should clarify some things. I have *other kpop groups cameos* in the tags. Seungmin is a member of Stray Kids. Stray Kids will appear in this fic, but they won't have a big role so I won't tag them. Another group will make an appearance later on, but I won't tag them either. I hope you're okay with that! No knowledge will be needed of those groups, so it's totally okay if you're unfamiliar with them! 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! 
> 
> Cookies to all! ♥♥


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....................  
> i have nothing to say for myself except; I'M FUCKING SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE
> 
> It's like, I want to update fast for you guys, but at the same time, I want the chapters to be good and to have a good length and add work and procrastinating in the mix and you get this. 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter! I feel like it's kinda like a filler chapter. Not much happening in this, but you'll find out some interesting things about Yeosang and San. I'll have to update tags soon! 
> 
> Chapter warnings include; Domestic Abuse. Nothing explicit(in my opinion at least. Please tell me otherwise.) 
> 
> Enjoy~

Wooyoung opened the door to Yeosang’s cabin, quietly walking inside. There was no reason to be silent, but Wooyoung had always been light on his feet. Muscle memory, they said.

Yeosang was on his bed, one of the many books he owned opened in his hands. Wooyoung knew that he wasn’t actually reading it, but familiar words always brought comfort.

Wooyoung sat on Jongho’s unmade bed, looking at the older pirate.

Yeosang faked reading the book for a few more seconds before closing it with a sigh.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked, his eyes on Wooyoung.

“What’s the book about?” Wooyoung asked, gesturing to the book. It was brown, its spine cracked for having been read so many times. It was probably one of Yeosang’s favorites, Wooyoung thought.

“I didn’t know you could read,” Yeosang said.

Wooyoung let out a loud _ha_ , a grin on his face as he got more comfortable on the bed.

“I didn’t know a thief like you could read, either,” he said back.

Yeosang smirked, his fingers lightly brushing the book’s spine.

“It’s about a thief,” he finally answered. “Kind of ironic, don’t you think? A thief reading a book about a thief.”

“You’re not a thief anymore,” Wooyoung pointed out. 

“Am I not?” Yeosang asked. “I still steal things.”

“You’re a pirate. A pirate steals for his crew. A thief steals for his own self.”

Yeosang hummed, his eyes on the book’s cover. _‘A Thief’s Journey’_ was the title. It was one of the first things Yeosang had ever stolen. Well, not really. He had found the book on a step outside a house. He had been seven at the time and he had felt bad for the book, lying alone and forgotten. It was getting dark, too.

Looking back at it now, the owner of the book had probably just gone inside for a few minutes, ready to get back to their book, only to find it missing.

Yeosang couldn’t bring himself to feel bad.

He turned his head towards Wooyoung. “Did you know that Yunho has a brother?”

Wooyoung nodded. “Yeah.”

“I,” Yeosang licked his lips. “I didn’t know he was in the inn,” he murmured. His gaze fell to the floor. “I would have helped him if I knew.”

Wooyoung was silent.

“I’m not a bad guy, you know,” Yeosang said.

“I know,” Wooyoung said, but Yeosang continued speaking as if he hadn’t heard him.

“They say that to be a pirate you must have a dark heart and a wicked disregard for other people’s lives.” He let out a humorless laugh, his expression growing serious in seconds once again. “I’m not like that,” he said. “I refuse to be like that.”

“You’re not a bad person, hyung.”

“You know, I’ve never killed a person,” Yeosang said.

He didn’t know why people always thought that he had blood on his hands, but he used it to his advantage. People already feared a pirate, but a pirate known to have killed common people? He was a terrifying monster in their eyes.

“But,” he continued, “I’ve never wanted to kill someone more in my life than the one who shot San.”

Wooyoung wasn’t surprised to hear this.

“You care about San a lot, huh?”

Yeosang shrugged, but Wooyoung could see the barely there blush on his cheeks.

“What about it?” Yeosang had his defenses up, Wooyoung could see. One wrong movement, one wrong word from him and this conversation would be over and forgotten.

“I would have helped you get rid of the body,” he said, smiling as Yeosang relaxed.

Wooyoung stood up, knowing that it was time for him to cook them food. Before leaving Yeosang’s cabin, he turned to the older pirate.

“What happens at the end of the book?”

“I don’t know,” Yeosang said. “I’ve never read the final chapter; I always go back to the start. I get the feeling that I won’t like the ending.”

Wooyoung hummed, opening the door. “Tell me how it ends when you finally read it.”

And with that, he left.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Innocence was a weird thing, yes it was.

It was a little boy, brown hair and blue eyes, almost five years old, barely reaching his father’s waist in height. It was that little boy gasping when his eyes fell on a blue flower, the same color of his eyes. Innocence was the little boy immediately thinking about the girl next door and how lovely that flower would look on her shiny blond hair.

Innocence was San asking all those pirates that came and went if mermaids were real. It was San asking his grandfather if someone would ever give him a blue flower like the one the little boy gave to the little girl. He wouldn’t understand his grandfather’s chuckle and why he ruffled his hair. But it was okay, he was innocent after all.

Innocence was San wondering why those two pirates, the ones that would tell him tales of monsters and mermaids, yeah them, _why did they stop visiting grandpa?_

 _“They got lost at the sea, son,”_ his grandfather would reply.

 _“I hope the mermaids help them,”_ San would say, voice full of innocence.

Innocence was a weird thing, yes it was.

It was there from the moment you were born and it could be lost with a snap of two fingers.

Losing your innocence was a weirder thing than innocence itself. It wasn’t always a thing that happened to you, something you asked. It could be something you saw happening to someone else and then it would be over.

Eyes wide open and mouth gasping, yellow flower on the ground, trying to comprehend what you were seeing.

San lost his innocence when he was fifteen.

Fifteen was a year of change for San. His grandfather was growing older by the day, teaching San everything he needed to know to forge words and keep a business running and San was happy to learn.

Fifteen was the year that San learned that love was something that was only true in fairy tales.

That little boy and that little girl had grown up, both only a couple years older than San.

The boy was working on a ship, not a pirate, just a member of a crew selling product in the neighboring ports.

He was often away for weeks before he would come back for a month, only for it to repeat again and again.

The boy always had a new flower to put on the girl’s hair and San thought; _that was love._

One day, San noticed a bruise near the girl’s left eye, the girl smiling gently and telling him she hit the door when he asked her about it. And San left it at that because his mind was still innocent.

But a month later, the girl had a split lip and the next she had a black eye and the next she had a broken wrist and there was a pattern that San couldn’t ignore anymore.

It all made sense one chilly, Autumn afternoon.

San was walking through the port, work was done for the day and his grandfather was fed and sleeping.

He was whistling along to a tune only he could hear, happy to be oblivious to the rest of the world.

And then he heard some female cries from an alley and his curiosity got the best of him.

As he got closer, the cries were getting louder and he could barely make out the slurred words of a man.

The first thing he saw was a small, yellow flower on the ground, his eyes moving towards two pair of feet.

San gasped at what he saw, his hand quickly covering his mouth.

The boy that would give the girl a flower each month, had her against a wall, tears streaming down her face and mixing with the blood running from her nose.

The man had turned around when he heard the gasp and San didn’t need to smell his breath to see how drunk he was.

“What are you looking at!?” the man had growled, his clenched fist around the girl’s hair, making her whimper.

“Leave!” the man had shouted and San had done exactly that.

Walking back to his house, he wondered if staying would have changed anything.

But the girl still had bruises on her face in the following months and when San turned seventeen, and his grandfather could barely walk, the girl was nowhere to be found.

San was fifteen when he stopped believing in love and at twenty-three, he still didn’t.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'll try to update faster next time, but I can't make any promises! 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter!
> 
> Cookies and hugs to all!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hello annyeong. 
> 
> coming through with an update ayyyyy
> 
> I've been suffering from an awful ear infection the past week and both my ears were stuffed and so you can understand how much I couldn't hear, my sister asked me on Friday what day it was and my answer was "mom said to go pick up the laundry." 
> 
> Anyways!!!! I'm better now! Woo hoo!!
> 
> There's cooking, insecurities, finger comparison, people being called brat and a blood splattered floor being stared at! Someone should really clean that up! 
> 
> No warnings for this chapter. Just fluff. But that should be warning enough on its own hehe
> 
> Enjoy~

Jongho was looking at Wooyoung cooking. Wooyoung’s hands were moving quickly, cutting vegetables and throwing them in the pot, moving slightly to reach the spices on the shelf to his right.

The kitchen on the ship was a comfortable size, considering only Wooyoung and occasionally San cooked.

Jongho's eyes were on Wooyoung’s fingers as the older pirate opened and closed the spices’ containers, finally finishing with preparing the food and letting it cook.

Wooyoung started to clean the kitchen, Jongho not bothering to move and help. Wooyoung always refused help in the kitchen.

Jongho examined his own hands. His fingers were long, good for snatching things and his palms were big, suited for holding things, big or small. He was blessed with a thief’s pair of hands. Or maybe he was cursed, he didn’t know for sure.

Wooyoung checked the food. It only needed a few more minutes before it was ready. He sat opposite of Jongho and looked at him.

“Something’s wrong?” It was a question that didn’t have to be asked. Everyone knew that something was wrong.

“Am I useless, hyung?” Jongho asked, not looking up from his hands.

Wooyoung tried to hide his shock at the question. In the eight months that Jongho had been part of the crew, Wooyoung had never heard him sound that small. He didn’t think it was possible.

“What makes you say that?” he asked. He swallowed, finding his throat suddenly dry.

Jongho shrugged, never letting his eyes leave his hands. He opened and closed his mouth several times, having his words all figured out, but afraid to speak them.

Wooyoung realized that whatever was in Jongho’s mind had been bothering him for a while.

“You know you can tell me, right?” he gently prompted.

Jongho let out a sigh, and it was like a dam had broken.

“Everyone in the crew has a role that they’re good at. I’m just another person on a pirate ship. Just a thief who only knows how to deceive and steal.”

Wooyoung was confused, but most of all, he was hurt.

How had he not noticed one of his fellow crew members hurting?

He swallowed again, choosing his next words carefully. “What was your answer?” he asked. “When Hongjoong hyung asked about your treasure?”

Jongho didn’t answer immediately. “I told him I wanted to be free.”

Wooyoung smiled. He stood up and checked the food, seeing that it was ready. It needed to cool off before they could eat.

“You’re not useless, you know,” he said. Jongho snorted, not believing him. “You’re not,” he repeated.

He decided to change tactics. “You know,” he started, “Yeosang hung used to be a thief as well before becoming a pirate.” From the way Jongho looked at him, he clearly didn’t know that.

“And a damn good one, or so he claims.” That made Jongho chuckle.

“Look, Jongho,” Wooyoung said and something in his voice made the younger man lift his face and look at him. “I don’t know what you did before coming to this ship and I have to say, I really don’t care. You’re far from useless. You help around on the ship, you’re good with guns and you’re always up for mischief.”

Jongho didn’t look convinced. Wooyoung sighed once again.

“You respect Hongjoong hyung, right?”

“Of course,” was Jongho’s immediate answer.

Wooyoung nodded. “Then respect his choice of taking you in. He’s not stupid, he must have seen something great in you.”

A small smile appeared on Jongho’s face. “Thanks hyung.”

Wooyoung ruffled his hair, a quick movement of his hand before Jongho slapped it away.

“Are we going to eat anytime soon?” Jongho asked, cheeky grin in place.

“Brat,” Wooyoung said with a scoff. “Get me the plates.”  

 

* * *

 

Mingi was staring at the boy laying on Hongjoong’s bed. Seungmin was his name, right, Mingi almost had forgotten.

Seungmin looked like he was sleeping, peacefully almost and if Mingi only focused on his face then he could almost believe it. But then his eyes would travel to the blood soaked covers and the blood splattered on the floor, mixed with alcohol and water, and the image would shatter in his mind.

God, what had they got into?

Yunho was focused on the steady rise and fall of Seungmin’s chest and with each passing breath of the younger boy, he felt like he could breathe a little easier himself. Almost.

Mingi turned his gaze on the older pirate, staring at him with eyes that shouldn’t be holding that much concern and gentleness in them. Even after three years on a ship surrounded by the people he trusted the most, Mingi still felt like the next touch would be the one to bring him pain.

Jongho brought them their dinner a while later, though he didn’t stay with them. He said that he had to clean the ship. Mingi gave him a sympathetic wince, he knew how much Hongjoong liked to see Starlight’s planks shine.

Mingi ate his food, but he was sure he wouldn’t know what he ate if someone asked him about it later. His movements were mechanical, his hand moving from his plate to his mouth, watching as Yunho did exactly the same.

He kind of wished that Jongho had brought another plate of food for Seungmin, surely the boy would be hungry when he finally woke up. He would have to hope that Wooyoung had cooked an extra portion.

He was too busy being lost in his head that Yunho’s gasp resonated in his head seconds after the sound of his plate falling on the floor and breaking.

“Get hyung!” Yunho said, voice sharp but holding only anxiety and something similar to hope that Mingi had heard a little too many times in his own voice.

Hongjoong was in the room barely a minute later, Seonghwa and Mingi following close behind.

Hongjoong gently pushed Yunho out of the way and kneeled in front of the bed as Seungmin let out a small groan and tried to sit up.

“Hey, easy there,” Hongjoong pushed him back down. “You were shot, take it easy.”

Seungmin did as told with another groan and rubbed his eyes.

Yunho had been clenching and unclenching his firsts all that time, itching to get closer, but staying put.

“Where am I?” Seungmin rasped out and Yunho swallowed a whimper at finally hearing his brother’s voice after so many years. “Who are you?”

“You’re on a ship,” Hongjoong answered, sending a look at Seonghwa, _should I tell him we’re pirates?_

Seonghwa shrugged.

“I’m Hongjoong, the captain. Do you remember what happened?” He asked.

Seungmin licked his lips before giving a small nod. “There were authorities in the inn I was in. Started shooting. I got shot.” His eyes were staring at the ceiling of Hongjoong’s room. He didn’t blink once. “I got out of the back door. I knew I was going to pass out so I leaned against a wall,” he gave a small chuckle.

“Funny,” he murmured. “I thought I saw my brother.”

Yunho sucked in on a breath and Mingi patted his shoulder.

“Do you think you can sit up?” Hongjoong asked.

“I can try.”

Hongjoong helped him sit up and by the time Seungmin was leaning against the bedpost, he was breathing fast and there was sweat on his forehead.

Seungmin’s eyes immediately fell on Yunho. The younger man blinked.

“What?” He looked around, the room full with people he did not recognize, and yet, Yunho’s face was as familiar and striking as the pain on his side. “What’s happening?” he asked, his eyes glued on Yunho’s face.

Hongjoong stood up and patted Yunho’s shoulder. “Mingi will be outside the door if you need anything,” he said and walked out of the room. Seonghwa send a reassuring smile on Yunho and followed the captain out.

Mingi hesitated for few seconds before following after them as well.

Yunho was left alone in the room with Seungmin, the first time in years he was having any kind of contact with his brother and he was staring at drops of blood on a wooden floor.

“Hyung?” At hearing Seungmin’s voice, Yunho’s head snapped up. The older man gulped.

“Yeah?”

“You’re the one who saved me?”

Yunho nodded, a quick movement of his head before he was back at staring at the blood splattered floor.

“Can you come here?”

Yunho shakily stood up and went to sit beside Seungmin on the bed. He mentally braced himself. It Seungmin was going to yell at him then he was going to sit and hear everything his younger brother had to say.

He tensed up when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t push away. He deserved to get hit as well.

“Will you look at me?” Seungmin asked, voice soft and exactly like Yunho remembered it.

Yunho shook his head. “I can’t,” he whispered.

“Why not?”

“I abandoned you.”

A huff from Seungmin was what made Yunho dare to finally look at him.

“You’re just as stupid as I remember you,” the younger man said, leaving Yunho speechless.

Seungmin’s eyes grew soft. “I never blamed you for leaving,” he said.

Yunho shook his head again. “You should have.”

Seungmin huffed again, but this time, there was annoyance in his voice when he spoke. “You saved yourself by leaving. I’m not going to blame you for that.”

“I should have taken you with me.”

Seungmin shook his head. “I was young and scared and you were running out of time. You didn’t have a choice.”

Yunho opened his mouth but Seungmin’s glare made him refrain from speaking.

“You’re a martyr,” Seungmin said. “You’re going to keep blaming yourself no matter how many times I tell you not to, so just stop.”

Yunho nodded with a small smile. Seungmin knew his too well.

“How did you get out?” he asked.

Seungmin leaned his head against the wall. “He died about a year after you left. Too much alcohol.”

Yunho didn’t know what to feel about the news of his father’s death. He wasn’t feeling happy, but he wasn’t feeling sad either. Only cold nothingness.

“I was on my own for a couple of months before a captain found me and took me into his crew.”

Yunho’s eyes widened with realization. “You’re a pirate.”

Seungmin smirked.

Yuhno should have pieced it together earlier. Yeosang had said that there were only pirates in the inn they were in. Seungmin was in the inn.

“You’re one, too.”

“How do you know that?”

Seungmin gestured around the room, Yunho’s eyes following his hand. There was a pistol on Hongjoong’s desk, half hidden from all the maps covering the wooden surface, a few of them hanged on the walls.

Yunho sighed. “Fair.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, both basking in the happiness of having found each other again.

Seungmin broke the silence. “I’m hungry.”

Yunho was on his feet in an instant. “Yes! You should eat, you lost a lot of blood. You should rest more too after you eat.”

Seungmin rolled his eyes, but secretly enjoyed his older brother caring for him.

“Mingi,” Yunho called out and the door immediately opened, a tall man Seungmin vaguely recognized from being there earlier, walking in.

Mingi looked between them before relaxing and settling his gaze on Yunho.

“Everything’s alright?”

Yunho nodded. “Seungmin’s hungry. Can you please see if Wooyoung can make something for him?”

Mingi nodded and left with a promise to be back soon.

Yunho looked at Seungmin.

Seungmin was smirking at him.

“What?”

“He likes you.”

Yunho chocked on his spit, his ears turning red.

Seungmin laughed, the sound making Yunho feel warm inside.

“And you like him!”

Seungmin smiled fondly at him. “I missed you.”

Yunho smiled back and sat on the bed, gently knocking their shoulders together. “I missed you, too.”

“I’m still going to tease you about Mingi, though.”

Yunho groaned. He expected nothing less.

They fell into comfortable silence again, waiting for Mingi to return.

“Why is there a broken plate on the floor?”

Yunho ran a hand down his face with a sigh. “It fell from my hands when I saw you were waking up,” he mumbled.

“Pathetic.”

“Brat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of Stray Kids will make an appearance in the next couple chapters. I think. I hope so. I have no clue. 
> 
> Also, I've decided to just update whenever I have time. That could be once a week, twice a month, whenever there's a blood moon(jk jk). But yeah. I finish my internship at the end of March so I'll surely write more then! When I'm not sleeping or adulting! 
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> Comments make me scream and being judged by my sister but I don't care, I love them.
> 
> Hugs and cookies to all!!! ♥♥♥♥♥


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyyyy coming through with a filler chapter after almost two months of absence what's popping guys
> 
> Real talk though, OMG HI GUYS HOW ARE YOU I'VE MISSED YOU AND I'VE MISSED MY PIRATES AND HOLY SHIT WE HIT 2020 HITS???? THAAAAAAANK YOUUUUU
> 
> In this chapter, we learn some more things about Hongjoong and Seonghwa, there's a stair missing a step, a thief caught stealing and then knocked out, someone wondering about mermaids, a dead someone that is finally dead and pretty things, oh my!
> 
> Enjoy~!

The night was cold when Seonghwa ran away with Hongjoong. They were prepared, of course they were. Seonghwa had packed some blankets, clothes and extra food.

While Hongjoong had a place he slept at every night, nothing was sure and you could never be more prepared.

They had memorized the route the guards took every night around Seonghwa’s house. While his father was no loyalty, he was grossly rich and that meant more man power.

It also meant that he had more things to lose but Seonghwa tried not to think about it. He was one of them after all.

“We did it,” Hongjoong said when they could no longer see the house.

They were both breathing heavily from running and Seonghwa felt his eyes water.

Hongjoong smiled at him and if he noticed a tear or two escape, he said nothing.

Seonghwa was finally free. They spent the night at a small hostel, right next to the port.

There was only one bed but neither man cared. Seonghwa had hugged Hongjoong close, relief and gratitude seeping through his bones and if Hongjoong’s shoulder had grown damp as the minutes went by, well, only them and the bed knew.

The lady that owned the hostel was old, her hands wrinkled yet soft. She ran the hostel along with her only daughter, a beautiful girl with red hair that was missing an eye. The lady’s husband had been a pirate, like men usually were in this part of town.

Hongjoong had met him once or twice. He was tall, heavy, with greasy long hair that once were brown but time and sun had made it thin and almost see through.

He had heard from some fishermen that the man had died in a storm and Hongjoong had gone into the hostel wondering if there was anything he could do for the old lady. She had given him a smile and a promise of a bed if and when he wished for it.

Hongjoong hadn’t slept much that night, content to just rest his bones on the bed as Seonghwa slept away.

He gently woke the older boy up when the sun was up, both gathering their things without talking.

The hostel they were staying at had no more than six rooms. As soon as you entered, you were greeted with a rundown bar, the alcohol most likely older than the chairs around the wooden tables. There was a small kitchen at the back, equipped with enough items to feed only four people at a time. To your right, there were wooden stairs, the second wooden plank missing, leading upstairs to the six rooms. Hongjoong always chose the one closest to them.

When they went downstairs that morning, Hongjoong was ready to pay so they could leave, but the old lady stopped him, promising breakfast and a hot cup of tea. Who were they to refuse?

“You don’t have to pay me, honey,” the old lady said, putting two plates in front of them. It was a simple breakfast; some bread, cheese, ham and two apples that had seen better days. The cups of tea got there a few minutes later. “You got those thieves to get away the last time you were here and I never repaid you.”

Seonghwa sent an amused look at Hongjoong that the latter ignored and they both finished their breakfast in comfortable silence.

As they were finally getting ready to leave, Hongjoong said;

“Next time I come, I’ll fix your stairs.”

The delighted laugh that left the old lady was enough to put a smile on Seonghwa’s face for the rest of the day.

Hongjoong took Seonghwa to the ship. Hongjoong had spent his last six gold pieces at her. She once was a great ship, big, her wooden planks shining and that image was what made Hongjoong name her Starlight. They had work to do in order to get her to look like that once again, but she only needed love. And love they gave her.

They found Yunho two days later. They were at a port a day’s trip away, both looking, ears open for someone who knew about medicine, someone that could properly dress a wound.

They found Yunho at the day market. He was helping a little boy who had fallen and scraped his knee, Yunho’s movements gentle and precise and they had both nodded at each other and waited until Yunho was alone before going towards him.

Yunho had agreed quickly, eyes rapidly moving around as if someone would jump in front of him and take him. They didn’t ask. It wasn’t their job to know about Yunho’s past and they didn’t care about it.To them, Yunho was gentle movements and soft hands and that was enough.

There was only one thing Hongjoong had to know.

“What is your treasure?”

Yunho’s eyes had grown sad as he thought about his answer. “A friend,” he had said.  

Hongjoong had stolen a look at Seonghwa at that. A friend, huh.

The found Yeosang a few months later. Or, to be more exact, Seonghwa had found Yeosang.

They were at a city they had only been twice before and Seonghwa had gone to the market, leaving Hongjoong and Yunho at the ship.

It had happened so quick and quietly that Seonghwa had almost missed it. Well, almost. One second he had five gold pieces left in his pocket and the next he was turning around, catching a guy walking the opposite direction of so many people it was almost comedic.

Seonghwa had followed, knowing that the thief had caught him, but he wasn’t going to let the thief get his gold.

The thief was good, Seonghwa would give him that, jumping on roofs and going into back alleys like he had created the whole place.

But Seonghwa was better. He had trailed the thief close to the port and when the latter was least expecting it, Seonghwa had appeared from behind and had knocked him out.

Seonghwa had carried him to the ship, having thrown Yeosang over his shoulders.

Hongjoong had raised an eyebrow. “Who’s this?”

“He stole from me,” had been Seonghwa’s answer.

Yunho had rolled his eyes. “The audacity.”

“I knocked him out.”

“Of course. Bring him in.”

Yeosang had woken up with the worst headache he had ever had, three people staring at him.

“You have a bump on the head but no concussion.” One of them had said.

“I stole from you,” Yeosang had said, looking at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa had huffed, annoyed but secretly relieved that he hadn’t hurt the guy much.

The third guy had chuckled, stepping closer. “I’m Hongjoong,” he had introduced himself. “The captain of the ship.”

Yeosang’s eyes had gone wide. “You are pirates.” He had buried his head in his hands. “I stole from pirates, shit.”

“You didn’t steal shit, I caught you,” Seonghwa had said.

“I still made you sweat.” Yeosang’s mini meltdown was apparently over, him smirking at the glare Seonghwa was sending him.

Yunho had sighed and stood up, Hongjoong taking his place.

“What’s your name?”

“Yeosang.”

Hongjoong had smiled. “We need people like you in this crew, Yeosang.”

Yeosang hadn’t even thought about it, immediately agreeing.

“Tell me, Yeosang,” Hongjoong had said. “What is your treasure?”

Yeosang had stolen a look at Seonghwa and he grinned, looking straight into the other guy’s eyes.

“I’ll know when I steal it.”

Hongjoong had laughed at that, standing up and knocking shoulders with Seonghwa.

“I like this one.”

Seonghwa had only glared harder.

Finding San wasn’t planned, but most things in life aren’t.

They had heard stories about a man who made swords and he only made you one if you told him a story. And well, they weren’t in need of new swords, but Hongjoong was intrigued.

They had decided that only Hongjoong and Seonghwa would go, leaving Yunho and Yeosang to take care of Starlight.

When they had first seen San’s shop, Hongjoong had instantly grown more intrigued. Maybe a new sword wouldn’t hurt.

San had taken a look at them and had grinned. There was no reason for introductions, only pirates ever came to his shop.

“Tell me about the mermaids,” San had said.

Seonghwa had opened his mouth to tell him that they didn’t exist, but Hongjoong had subtly elbowed him on his side.

“They’re beautiful,” Hongjoong had started. “Blond hair that almost looks translucent in the sunlight. Green scales that fade into blue that fade into purple. They’re merciful to most.”

“Creative,” San had hummed.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Hongjoong had said.

“You’re here for swords, I assume?”

“No.” Seonghwa had sent a shocked look at Hongjoong at that, but the captain had ignored him.

“We’re here because I want you in my crew.”

Seonghwa trusted Hongjoong’s judgement and he wasn’t afraid to speak up when the captain was doing something stupid. He hadn’t spoken up that moment.

Any shock San might have felt at the words; he had hidden it well.

He had tilted his head to the side, a searching expression on his face.

“Tell me about your ship.” It was a trick, Hongjoong could tell.He grinned, showing teeth.

“She’s wonderful. Big, fast, shining like Starlight. She can get dangerous too, but the mermaids are always in awe of her.”

San had an excited glint in his eyes.

“Your crew?” 

“Just two. We need a third.”

San finally looked at Seonghwa.

“If you’re the captain, then what’s he?”

“He’s the voice of reason.”

“And I’m sure you need that a lot,” San had said, making Seonghwa nod.

“He really does,” Seonghwa had agreed.

“Well,” San had said, “I agree.”

“Let me ask you something, San,” Hongjoong had taken a step forward. “What is your treasure?”

“Let me ask you something back, captain,” San had said with a grin. “Will the mermaids be merciful to me?”

Hongjoong had given him a smile. Wonder was really a special thing to have.

“Come and find out.”

Finding Mingi wasn’t really a find. It was more of a rescue. It was a rescue that had caused Seonghwa’s nights to be hunted by nightmares for almost a week.

It hadn’t been pleasant but it was over and it was a story that had already been told and no one wanted to have to tell it again.

Finding Wooyoung was a rescue as well, but it was painted in blood.

They had just hit a port they have only been to once before, the one where they had found Yunho.

They were all relieved at the mere thought of leaving the ship after being stuck in it for two days.

There was another pirate ship at the port but no one payed it any attention. No one but Yunho.

Hongjoong was the one to stay in Starlight this time and Yunho had hesitated on following the others.

“Yeosang, I have something to say to Hongjoong hyung. I might find you later.” The other pirate had nodded and left, Yunho turning and going to Hongjoong’s cabin.

The door had been open and Hongjoong was sitting on his desk, writing on his journal. He had looked up once he has sensed Yunho and had gestured him to come in.

“Something on your mind?”

“When you found me all those years ago, you asked me what my treasure is,” Yunho had said. “I told you it was a friend.”

“What’s wrong?” Hongjoong had asked, seeing that whatever was on Yunho’s mind was serious.

“That friend is here and he needs help.”

Yunho had told him everything.

And well, the rest of the story is known. At least to the people who were there.

Yunho had shown to Hongjoong the crew, naming everyone he knew and he captain had relayed the information to Seonghwa that night.

Rescuing Wooyoung had been bloody and it had a body count, but everyone was happy and relieved at the end.

And Hongjoong had asked Wooyoung about his treasure and Wooyoung had told him that he didn’t have one. The captain had smiled, accepting the challenge. It wouldn’t be long before Wooyoung found one.

Finding Jongho was like finding a missing piece to a puzzle no one knew existed. And well, that story had been told as well, but it was one that they didn’t mind repeating. And it all had happened because of a pretty flower.

A lot of things have started because of pretty things. Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s friendship had started because of a red apple and there they were today, twenty years after that.

A lot of things have ended because of pretty things.  It was a pretty flower after all that had led Jongho to them, the final puzzle piece to a pirate crew that had no idea what was in store for them.

Maybe not knowing was good. But only one question remained unanswered.

When it came to it, would the mermaids be merciful to them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll finally get to the plot, don't worry guys!!
> 
> Also, I promise you that no matter how irregular my updates are, this story will be finished. Eventually. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!!! 
> 
> Hugs and kisses to all uwu ♥♥♥♥


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. 
> 
> Fast update this time what's poppin'. Don't expect a fast update for the next chapter though I literally have no clue what it's going to be about. 
> 
> I updated the relationship tag hehe ;)
> 
> In this chapter we have; questions about mermaids that aren't really questions about mermaids, guns pointed at foreheads and some strays, oh my!
> 
> Enjoy~

“Do you still believe?” Seungmin asked when he was done with his food.

Yunho thought about his answer. It was a loaded question, Seungmin always asked them, and there was no simple answer to give.

“I think so,” Yunho answered.

Seungmin hummed and put his plate aside, stretching his legs in front of him with a small wince. He waved off Yunho’s concerned face. He was fine.

“Have you seen one?” Seungmin asked next.

“Sometimes at night, never at day. They feel safer in the shadows. They sing when there’s wind.”

Seungmin smiled.

It was a game they both had created when they were young. The few times they managed to go to the beach when their father had passed out, they would stare at the dark waters, imagining that the shadows in the water were mermaids and if there was wind, well no one could hear them whistling along.

It was their way of knowing that things would be alright.

After a bad night of their father having drunk too much, Yunho would patch them up, always Seungmin first, no matter if he was more hurt, and after making sure that their father was dead to the world, they would leave for a few hours.

Asking each other if they still believed was their way of asking is everything was going to be alright.

And if the answer was positive, then they knew that they’d have each other and the mermaids.

The answer was always positive.

“Tell me about your crew,” Yunho prompted.

Seungmin got a smile on his face.

“We’re nine. The ship’s name is Stray, she’s beautiful.”

“Are they treating you alright?”

Seungmin nodded. “They captain gets a little strict sometimes, but he’s just. He never does something without reason.”

“He sounds like a good guy,” Yunho said, secretly relieved that Seungmin didn’t have to go through the things he had.

There was a knock on the door, Hongjoong and Seonghwa walking in.

Now that Seungmin was aware of his surroundings and knew that he wasn’t in danger, he studied the two older men.

His eyes stayed on Seonghwa.

“Do we know each other?” he asked, tilting his head.

Seonghwa frowned, confused. “I don’t think so. Why?”

“Your face looks familiar. I might be wrong, though. Sorry.”

Seonghwa waved the apology away with a smile.

“Are you feeling okay, Seungmin?” Hongjoong asked, smiling when the younger man nodded.

“So, you’re a pirate, right?” It was a question, but Hongjoong already knew the answer.

“Yeah,” Seungmin said. “We’ve been at this port for three days.”

Hongjoong nodded at the information. “We’ll help you get to your crew.”

Seungmin smiled, thankful.

Yunho got up and went to the window, looking outside. “There’s another ship at the port. Brown with a red crow’s nest,” he said.

“Yeah, that’s her,” Seungmin said with a relieved smile.

Seonghwa looked thoughtful. “Shouldn’t they be searching for you?”

“Two of them probably are,” Seungmin said. “The other sever are waiting on the ship most likely.”

Hongjoong hummed. “I think it’s best we go and tell them what’s going on.”

“Who are you taking with?” Yunho asked.

“Seonghwa and Mingi. I don’t think there’s need for more,” he said, looking at Seungmin in question.

The younger man nodded. “They won’t attack, but they won’t trust you easily.” He closed his mouth, seemingly in thought. His ears were red when he spoke again. “When you meet the captain, ask for Hyunjin. Tell him his feet are cold. He’ll know what it means and they’ll trust you after that.”

Hongjoong nodded and with that, Seonghwa and him were gone.

Yunho looked at Seungmin with a smirk. “How do you know Hyunjin’s feet are cold?”

Seungmin stared at him. “The same way you know what to say to make Mingi laugh.”

Yunho blushed and Seungmin smiled back, victorious.

There was a knock on the door, Jongho walking in.

He gave a smile to Seungmin and then looked at Yunho.

“Yeosang hyung says he wants to talk to you,” Jongho said.

Yunho sent a look at Seungmin, the younger man nodding at him. Yunho stood up, opening his mouth to speak.

“Yes, I’ll stray with Seungmin,” Jongho said, rolling his eyes. “And yes, I’ll come get you the second something’s wrong. Now go before Yeosang hyung comes here.”

Yunho huffed. “Brat.”

“I like you already,” Seungmin said, making Jongho grin at him before taking Yunho’s seat on the bed.

Yunho found Yeosang at the crow’s nest.

He sighed and started climbing the shrouds. The crow’s nest wasn’t made to accommodate two pirates at the same time and it would be a tight fit, but they would manage.

When Yunho got on top, he saw Yeosang sitting on the floor of the nest, an open book on his lap, but he wasn’t reading.

“Captain told you not to get up here until your back is better,” Yunho said, taking a seat as well, their knees touching.

Yeosang gave a half smile. San had told him the same.

“Is your brother okay?” Yeosang asked.

“Yeah.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Yeosang sighed.

“Yunho,” he started, but Yunho cut him off.

“What’s the book about?” Yunho asked, pointing at the still open book on Yeosang’s lap.

Yeosang closed the book, caressing the spine with his thumb.

“It’s called ‘A Thief’s Journey’. It’s about a thief’s life and his adventures,” Yeosang said, embarrassed at his lame summary.

Yunho hummed. “What happens in the end?”

“I don’t know; I’ve never read the end. I don’t think I’m going to like it.”

“What part were you reading now?”

“The thief’s lover was shot. She didn’t make it.”

Yunho stayed silent.

“San will be alright,” he said.

Yeosang didn’t look at him. “I know that.”

“You were scared,” Yunho said. “You _are_ scared. Of the book. You’re scared whatever is going to happen at the end of the book is going to happen to you.”

Yeosang didn’t say anything, making the other pirate snort. The sun was starting to set.

“You’re scared because the character of the book is a thief and you think you’re a thief,” Yunho told him. “You’re not a thief anymore.”

“Am I really not?” Yeosang asked with a scoff.

“Not to us.”

The sun was almost gone from the sky.

Yunho stood up and looked at the sea. “Do you believe in mermaids?”

Yeosang squinted at him. “Is this a trick question?”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Yunho said with a shrug.

Yeosang thought about his answer. “I don’t know. No one has ever given me a reason to believe in them.”

Yunho smiled. “They’re beautiful,” he said. “And deadly. It depends on who they’re dealing with.”

They stayed in comfortable silence until the sky was dark.

“I called you here so we could talk and you did most of the talking,” Yeosang said with a sigh and a small smile.

“You talked plenty,” Yunho assured him.

Yeosang stood up and picked up the book. Maybe, there’ll be a day where he will be brave enough to read the final chapter.

“Are we okay?” he asked.

Yunho didn’t answer him. Instead, he pointed to the dark water and said, “Look, a mermaid.”

Yeosang smiled. She was a beautiful one.

 

* * *

 

 

Hongjoong walked towards the other ship, Seonghwa and Mingi close behind.

“Should we just go up?” Mingi wondered once they were in front of the ship. She seemed well loved and taken care of, Hongjoong felt at ease.

He shared a look with Seonghwa, the second man shrugging at their nonverbal conversation and Hongjoong nodded before turning to Mingi.

“We just go up.”

They went up the unfamiliar ship, Hongjoong in the front and they came face to face with three guns.

“Who are you and what do you want,” demanded the man pointing the gun at Hongjoong. He was short, shorter than Hongjoong, but he had muscular arms and a scar that ran down his right cheek. Hongjoong really didn’t want to see the other guy.

“I’m captain Hongjoong of Starlight. This is my first mate, Seonghwa and our sailing master, Mingi,” Hongjoong calmly introduced them with an easy smile. It wasn’t the first time they had a gun pointed to their heads and it wouldn’t be the last.

“I want to speak to your captain,” he said.

The man gestured to the one behind him, the second pirate nodding and going inside the cabins.

“Take their weapons,” The man with the scar said to the ones who were pointing guns at them.

When a man moved towards Mingi, Hongjoong spoke.

“Mingi will give you his weapons himself.”

The man in front of Hongjoong arched an eyebrow. “Are you really in a position to give orders?”

“This is not an order. None of you are touching Mingi.”

The pirate must have seen something in Hongjoong’s eyes because he gave a nod.

Soon, the pirate who had gone in the cabins came out, followed by two other men.

“I’m Chan, captain of Stray. This is my first mate, Woojin and the one pointing a gun at you is our gunner, Changbin,” The pirate said, looking at Hongjoong.

Hongjoong introduced them once more.

Chan nodded. “I’ve heard of you. Your ship shines like starlight, am I wrong?”

Hongjoong gave a nod of his own. “And yours is recognizable from afar,” he said, referring to the red crow’s nest.

“I’m assuming you’re not here for a chat,” Chan said, his hands behind his back and his stance relaxed.

“I heard you’re missing a crew member,” Hongjoong said.

Instantly, Changbin pressed his gun to his forehead, hid finger close to the trigger.

“And how do I know I can trust you? You see, I have a missing crew member and two others looking for him at this very moment. If your crew wished to attack, I’m outnumbered.”

Hongjoong smiled. “I wish to cause you no harm. I actually have a message for one of your crew members.”

Chan seemed intrigued. “Go on.”

Hongjoong looked around the crew. “Is there a Hyunjin here?”

“That’s me,” said the man pointing a gun at Seonghwa.

“Seungmin wants to tell you that you have cold feet.”

Immediately, Hyunjin lowered his gun. “Oh, thank God,” he breathed in relief, the other pirates following along and lowering their own guns.

“What happened to Seungmin?” Chan asked.

“He was shot at the inn he was. Two of my crew found him and brought him to my ship. He’s okay,” Hongjoong said, looking at Hyunjin.

Chan nodded. “I’d like to see him myself, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” Hongjoong agreed.

Chan turned to Changbin. “Give them back their weapons.” He then looked at another crew member. “Minho, stay here and wait for Jisung and Felix to return. Fill them in.” He looked at the rest of the crew. “The rest are coming with me.”

He finally looked at Hongjoong.

“After you.”

The two pirate crews walked towards Starlight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wondering, does anyone find amusing the little chapter summaries I do at the beginning notes? Because they make me giggle. 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! Finally, Stray Kids are here! Can i get a hell yeah!? 
> 
> Leave a comment if you want to(plz do) and I'll see you all in the next update!!
> 
> Hugs and cookies to all! ♥♥♥


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Wednesday my dudes AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. It's also Harry Potter's birthday!!! AAAAAAAAAAA pt.2
> 
> A few things you should know about this chapter:   
> a) it's small.   
> b) i don't really like it. i especially don't like the second part of this chapter but i wanted to give you guys at least something so here.  
> c) you might notice that stray kids are kinda ooc in this but that's because they're such small characters that i don't really have a reason to make them talk about feelings and such. except seungmin. but you know why.
> 
> anYWAYS
> 
> In this chapter we have; talks about pain, new beginnings, Yeosang being his charming self, beginnings of a black eye and a stray deciding to stay, oh my!
> 
> Next update will come I don't know when.
> 
> Enjoy~!

Wooyoung pushed open the door, entering San and Mingi’s shared room. He sat on Mingi’s made bed and stared at San, amused with an eyebrow raised.

San groaned at the look he was receiving. He was struggling to sit up but without help he wasn’t able to.

“I got shot and you’re just sitting there laughing at me!” San whined as he failed to sit up once again.

Wooyoung snorted and pulled him up by the hand.

“This is awful!’ San kicked his legs like a scolded child, wincing when the movement pulled on his bullet wound. He whined again. “I’ll have to sleep on my back till this stupid wound is healed but I’m a stomach sleeper!”

“Oh, the travesty,” Wooyoung deadpanned.

San sent him a glare. “Do you want me to shoot you so you know how it feels?”

“I think I’m good.”

San groaned again. “Why are you even here?”                            

“Well,” Wooyoung started. “Captain took Seonghwa hyung and Mingi hyung to the other ship, Jongho is with Seungmin and Yunho hyung is talking with Yeosang hyung.”

The last part sobered San up. “They’re talking?”

Wooyoung shrugged. “Seems like it,” he said. “They were at the crow’s nest.”

San shook his head with a sigh. “Yeosang hyung knows that he shouldn’t go up the crow’s nest while his back is still hurting.”

“He seemed fine to me,” Wooyoung said.

San scoffed. “You don’t see him in the morning like I do. He’s always in pain when he wakes up, he just masks it well.”

“Just like someone else I know,” Wooyoung said, making San roll his eyes.

“I don’t mask my pain.”

Wooyoung stayed silent, watching San as the older pirate stared at his hands.

“You’re an awful liar, hyung.”

San gave a half smile. “Am I really that obvious?”

“Only to me,” Wooyoung said. “I know what masked pain looks like.”

“And what does it look like now?”

“It looks like you’re on the verge of tears.”

San nodded and wiped at his eyes. He let out a huff as tears ran down his face. It was ridiculous, crying over something so small and insignificant like a bullet wound, San wanted to laugh. So why was he crying?

Wooyoung stayed on Mingi’s bed, watching as San tried to get rid of his tears. He had never been good with tears, his own or other peoples’.

“How much does it hurt?”

“When Yeosang hyung poured alcohol to clean the wound I thought I was going to die.”

Pain was something Wooyoung was good with. He had felt pain, lots of it, it was almost welcome in a sick way.

San looked at him, wiping his eyes with a shuddering breath. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“How much does it hurt?”

Wooyoung stared at him. “I’m not in pain.”

“You have scars.”

“They’ve long healed.”

“You know,” San said, “You’re not the only one who knows how masked pain looked like.”

Wooyoung pulled his knees to his chest, hugging them close. His voice was soft. “It’s not physical pain.”

“That’s worse,” San said.

Wooyoung shrugged. “If I can’t see the wound then the pain doesn’t exist.”

“That’s not how it works,” San said, worry seeping in his voice.

“It has worked so far.”

Before San could say something, the door was opened, Yeosang coming in.

“They’re back.”

* * *

 

As the two pirate crews made their way towards Starlight, the sun had long been gone, the moon up and full, not a single cloud in sight. It was a beautiful night, quiet and serene, Hongjoong felt brave enough to say that it was a night for new beginnings.

“Tales don’t do her justice,” Chan said when they stopped in front of Starlight.

Hongjoong gave him a smile as he along with Seonghwa and Mingi went up the ship, the other crew following.

They found Yeosang waiting for them on the main deck.

“San wanted to be here but Wooyoung stopped him,” Yeosang said. “He’s not happy about it.” He gave a nod to the other crew and turned around, disappearing into the cabins.

“Is he always this charming?” Changbin asked with a scoff.

Seonghwa’s snort was answer enough, but Hongjoong felt like he should give him an actual answer as well.

“He had a rough day. One of our own was shot in the inn as well,” he said.

“He’s okay, I hope?” Chan asked.

“Knowing him, he probably tried to walk already,” Hongjoong said with a fond sigh.

They walked inside Hongjoong’s cabin, finding Seungmin and Yunho sitting on the bed, talking. The two brothers looked up at the others, both smiling at their respective captains.

“Who are you?” Hyunjin asked before any of the captains spoke. He was looking at Yunho as he took a step closer.

Yunho stood up. “I’m Yunho, Seungmin’s older brother.”

And well, maybe it was the wrong thing to say for seconds later, Yunho had fallen back on the bed with a pained yelp as Hyunjin was lowering his right fist.

Instantly, there were two guns pointed at Hyunjin’s head, one from Mingi and one from Seonghwa. Hongjoong had his hand on his knife, while carefully eyeing Chan.

“That was for leaving Seungmin,” Hyunjin said, letting his arms fall to his sides.

“I deserved it,” Yunho said, gingerly touching the beginnings of a black eye with a barely hidden wince.

“That could have gone better,” Seonghwa said dryly, putting his gun away, Mingi following suit.

“We’re having a talk when we get back, Hyunjin,” Chan said, making the younger pirate huff and nod. The captain then turned to Hongjoong. “I’m really sorry this happened,” he said and gave a small bow to both Yunho and Hongjoong.

“I think we should have a talk,” Hongjoong proposed. “Only first mates, Yunho, Seungmin and Hyunjin should stay.” He looked at Chan. “What do you think?”

Chan shared a look with his first mate, Woojin, before nodding.

“Your crew is welcomed to stay with mind in the cabins,” Hongjoong added.

Chan looked at his two crew members, Changbin and Jeongin.

“I’ll stay,” Changbin said with a shrug while Jeongin decided to go back to their ship and fill the rest of the crew in.

“Mingi will show you the way.”

Mingi nodded and exited the room, not waiting for the other two, but knowing that they were following.

They all mentally prepared themselves for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well that was it folks
> 
> i hope you enjoyed and leave a comment if you did and i'll appear in your room with cookies so we can scream about ateez together. It'll be fun, i swear.
> 
> yeet


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S WEDNESDAY MY DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAA  
> at least here in greece it is time lines am i right
> 
> also no beta read because yeet
> 
> I just wanted you to know that there aren't many chapters left to this story. Maybe five. Maybe less than five. But no more than five. 
> 
> We're also nearing a chapter where I've had a scene written for about 4 months?? Like, I'm so so ready to post that chapter. You have no idea. 
> 
> In this chapter we have; guards walking in the rain, thoughts about the inevitability of change, mermaids, and a piece of paper that is a death sentence in disguise, oh my!
> 
> Enjoy~!

The night was dark and the clouds plenty as the guards did another round around the garden. Talking was prohibited, but really, who would even check? And thus, the guards talked.

They talked about their day, their meals, how one of the older ones would give candy to the newer guards but always keep the strawberry ones for himself.

They talked about _him_ sometimes as well, but it was hard not to. They had grown up together, you see. Each memory of theirs had _him_ in it, almost like a guest star, a recurring actor that everyone knew about and smiled fondly when thought of.

They had looked everywhere when he was gone, spending days and nights at neighboring ports, asking locals, describing him, only to sadly sigh at each other at the end of each search.

One of the guards looked at the sky.

“Looks like rain,” he said, making his companion look up as well and hum.

“Wasn’t cloudy earlier,” he said.

The first one smiled as he looked at the moon, its light illuminating the path they were walking before a cloud decided to hide its beauty from the world.

They both slowed down when they took a turn, coming under a window. It was closed, like it has been for years, no light coming out from the cracks, no matter how much they wished for it.

One of the two jumped when a rain drop hit his forehead, making the other laugh.

“Our shift is over after this round,” he said and they both smirked at each other.

And well, if their pace got faster, no one but them knew about it. But maybe, the curses they received from the new two guards meant that someone had figured them out.

* * *

 

“There’s a storm coming,” Yeosang said, looking out the window. He was in San and Mingi’s room, having got there after he welcomed back his captain and the other crew. Well, he had tried to be as civil as possible. Jongho and Wooyoung were already there, keeping San company.

He noticed that San’s eyes were puffier than usual, a little red around the edges, but he didn’t comment. What would he say? Yeosang knew how getting shot felt, no matter how small the wound, the pain was excruciating.

“Ominous,” Wooyoung commented.

Yeosang let out a hum. It was. He felt that something bigger than a storm was coming, something that would bring change, good or bad, Yeosang did not know, but he could only hope.

He loved stories, he loved mysteries, but he didn’t like the unknown. It made him chuckle sometimes. He had been a thief and now was a pirate and yet the unknown scared him.

Mermaids were an unknown. But so where friends. Trust was an unknown, too. And those three were so similar, the lines between their meaning were blurred.

But change was an unknown that Yeosang had stumbled upon many times in the past and it was never easier the next time around.

Yeosang was scared of change. But he wasn’t afraid to admit it. At least to himself.

Change could mean many things. Both good and bad. It could mean no more mermaids, but also shy kisses under starry nights. It could mean a goodhearted pat on the shoulder and a blinding smile saying ‘good job!’. But it could also mean a bad ending to a book he had never read the last chapter of.

The door to the cabin opened, Mingi coming in, followed by one of the other crew’s pirates.

It started to rain.

* * *

 

It was raining outside. Hongjoong let out a small happy sigh. It really was a night of change. He looked at Seonghwa and found the same look of contentment at the others face. He smiled bigger.

Chan and his first mate, Woojin, were talking with Seungmin about the day’s events, while Yunho was trying to make conversation with a still frowning Hyunjin. Everything was going better than expected.

“It’s a good night,” Hongjoong said out loud, the other pirates in the room stopping their conversations to look at him.

Chan smiled. “It really is,” he agreed. “I believe that I’m talking for everyone here, but this won’t be our last meeting.”

Hongjoong eagerly agreed.

They spent the next half hour making plans on how and when to meet, everyone giving out ideas and thoughts.

Ultimately, they decided that they would meet every full moon at this very port, the one that started everything-, and spend half a week together, retelling stories and adventures, both fake and not.

Yunho stood up from where he was sitting next to Seungmin on the bed and went to the window.

The window was located at a spot where you could easily see the sea underneath and Yunho spent long minutes staring at the water. There was no light from the moon and the rain was disturbing the otherwise calm surface of the sea, creating creatures when there were none.

“What are you staring at?” Seonghwa’s voice made him turn around and look at them.

“Mermaids,” he said.

Seungmin smiled at him.

Both crews stayed at the port for another week, just enough time for both San and Seungmin to heal enough to need minimal help to move around.

The day they had to part ways was an emotional one.

Both brothers were glad to had found each other again and while the idea of not seeing each other for a month was hard, they knew that they both had a family of their own to fall back into. And that enough.

* * *

 

It took them two days to hit port and the once happy and relaxed mood was now tense and quiet. No one but Hongjoong seemed to know why Seonghwa had dark circles under his eyes as if Mr. Sandman hadn’t paid him a visit for days.

Seonghwa had spent the last couple nights in Hongjoong’s cabin, desperate for any kind of comfort the other man could give and thankful for those few hours of sleep he could get. But, apparently, they weren’t enough.

No one questioned why Seonghwa was in such a mood, not even Yeosang opened his mouth to offer a sarcastic comment, and perhaps, that was more worrying.

But no one would ask. It wasn’t any of their business. If Seonghwa wanted to share his troubles he would do so and they would listen.

They decided that San and Yeosang would be the ones to stay in Starlight that day, just to give San extra time to heal. He didn’t like it but he could do nothing about it.

Yunho and Mingi were stocking up on medical things, bandages and rubbing alcohol being at the top of their list.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa had decided to group together with Wooyoung and Jongho for food. They wouldn’t need someone to look for information this time around, both Hongjoong and Seonghwa knew plenty about this port.

And perhaps, that was a mistake, for when Jongho returned to them after having trailed off to a stand with red, crispy apples, he was pale as a ghost, eyes wide and hand clutching a piece of paper.

“Hyung,” he said, voice scared and three pairs of eyes instantly found his, Hongjoong taking the piece of paper and reading it.

It was a missing person poster. Seonghwa wanted to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the things written on it.

_Please bring my son back to me._

But Seonghwa wanted to scream as well. And cry.

The look Hongjoong sent him made him finally break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok yes hi i swear this will have a happy ending TRUST ME(im also saying this for a future scene that i have already written)
> 
> I hope you liked the chapter!! Next one will come when the writing gods smile upon me. They usually don't keep a schedule though so it's always hard to pinpoint to an exact date. We'll see. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> Cookies and hugs to all! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


End file.
